The Best Laid Plans
by boots111
Summary: What if for 28 years Gold was happily married to a woman he loved? Who would he chose after the curse is broken and Belle comes back into his life? Or has their fate already been decided by another powerful force?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fan fic so please be kind. Will update if first part generates enough interest/reviews. **

**I don't own Once Upon a Time.**

**I tried to pattern Lee's character after Nikita played by Maggie Q in her TV Series "Nikita". In Ward's character, I see a little bit of Saurman from "Lord of the Rings". (Just in case - I don't own any characters from these movies either.)**

**What if for 28 years Gold was happily married to a woman he loved? Who would he chose after the curse is broken and Belle comes back into his life? Or has their fate already been decided by another powerful force?**

He watched as the black smoke rolled into the mine. It engulfed the entrance, the guards, and finally seeped through the bars of his prison. His maniacal, high pitched laughter filled the cavern until all sound was gone from the old world.

The new world welcomed him with a warm bed and bright sunlight seeping through the blinds of a comfortable bedroom. For a moment he wondered if he was still dreaming, so fuzzy and unfocused was his mind that morning. One of the first things he noticed was a small gold band of a wedding ring on his left hand. He turned to find a woman with long, jet black hair, asleep beside him. Cautiously, he leaned over to find that a wedding band encircled the ring finger on her left hand as well. As the web of curse-weaved memories wrapped his mind in its cocoon, his thoughts cleared and he reached out to possessively trace his fingers up the long, shapely leg of the woman next to him. He moved the blankets off her enough to see that she was dressed in a short, white, silk nightgown that barely reached the middle of her thighs. He watched her slowly turn onto her back and with her eyes still closed raise her head and back off the pillow just enough to pull off the garment. Tossing it on the dresser by the side of the bed, she lay back and raised her arms above her head. His breath caught in his throat as he raked his eyes over her perfectly toned body. When her dark eyes opened and looked into his own, he found himself drowning in desire. A content smile played around her lips as her hand came up to gently tangle in his hair. His own and her breathless cries of pleasure welcomed them into the new world.

Ever since anyone could remember Kyle Gold had been married to the beautiful owner of the only martial arts studio in Storybrooke. Every so often, the question of why a woman like Lee Knight would marry a crippled man who was almost twenty five years her senior and whose injured leg required him to walk with a use of a cane, came up on the town's gossip grapevine. However, since no one was able to come up with an answer more exciting than money and since regardless of her choice of spouse she was quite well liked, the grapevine quickly found other more exciting topics of conversation. What everyone in town knew was that Lee Gold gave kids karate lessons, taught self defense classes for women, and had one room converted to a laser tag play area which she rented out for birthdays parties for the kids in town. The children adored her kind and fun personality and were in awe of her fighting skills, especially when she demonstrated what could be accomplished with enough martial arts training by breaking inch thick boards with one kick or a strike of her hand. The men basked in her exotic beauty of black hair, brown eyes, and perfectly toned body. When women saw her ability to draw out the shyest child, saw her interact with their husbands without an ounce of flirtation, and cashed in on her willingness to make substantial monetary donations to whatever project happened to be going on in the town, they developed a tolerance for the woman. Since they could feel fairly secure that their men would not dare to make advances on Gold's wife and could believe that her looks had brought her enough trouble to make her marry someone like Gold, they felt comfortable enough to include her in their activities. Lee herself, however, always had a minute and a smile for whoever came to her with a request, volunteered at the animal shelter two days a week, and seemed quite content with her life.

Not at any time in twenty eight years did Gold question his marriage. Lee was a beautiful woman who warmed his bed quite skillfully and who seemed to enjoy what he had to offer her in return. Although, he liked the way other men looked at him when he walked into a room with her on his arm, she never once gave him the slightest cause to be jealous. There was however one disturbing factor to her personality that manifested itself infrequently enough to allow him to ignore it most of the time. As owner of the building that housed the martial arts studio, Gold knew that a few years ago one of the basement rooms had been converted to a professional shooting range and another to a state of the art 3-D game room. In this room, computer generated scenarios allowed players with laser weapons to go through obstacle courses that required split second reflexes to decide whether someone was friend or foe and whether a gun or hand to hand combat provided the most efficient way to defeat an opponent. A very select group of residents, all of them male, knew about these rooms. The few vehicles carrying strangers from outside of town to practice and compete there were more cause for concern. No trophies sparkled behind glass windows for winners of these games. The prize was always money and Lee Gold was quickly becoming the opponent these men came to compete against. Neither did the contests always keep to the shooting or virtual reality rooms of the building. The outsiders gliding into town under cover of darkness were professional fighters in their own right and many of them wanted to try their skill in hand to hand combat. It was on nights like these that she would come home after midnight, the bruises on her arms and legs mute witnesses to the fights in which she had engaged. Only once did he quietly enter the building on a night like this and watch as she beat two male opponents both larger and heavier than her with a series of movements so quick and lethal, they seemed to be executed by a predator. He never talked to her about nights like this, instinctively knowing that this was a part of her he could not reach, afraid that if he questioned her too much she would find another bed to sate her wants instead of coming home to him.

There was another activity that Lee was involved in that bothered Gold. However, he grudgingly continued to put up with it since he simply could not find or manufacture a logical reason to ask her to stop volunteering at the animal shelter. Neither was it the animal shelter itself that was the problem. What bothered Gold was that the building housing the shelter was attached to the only veterinary practice in town and the only veterinary practice was owned by Bradley Ward, the beloved Storybrooke veterinarian. Ward was known to have come from old money and was one of the town's wealthiest residents. He and his beautiful wife, Marina, were the biggest supporters of most of the town's charities. His wealth of knowledge and experience were beyond compare. When people brought their pets to him for care, they knew they received the best of skills and dedication. When he advised someone that it was time to let their pet go, the look in his warm, fathomless dark eyes was enough to convince the grieving owner that their pet was simply taking another step in life's journey. He stood close to six feet tall, with a short beard and white mane of hair pulled back into a ponytail trailing a little past his shoulders, a style that would look silly on any other man in his fifties but somehow looked right on him.

Ward was rumored to be wealthier than Gold himself. His sprawling mansion stood on immaculately groomed acres of land in the same neighborhood that housed Gold's Victorian home. He owned the building housing his veterinary practice and the land on which it was built. He leased the animal shelter building and the land on which it stood to the city for a nominal price and he did not pay one dime of rent to Gold. Furthermore, it was rumored that some people went to him to borrow money to pay off debts they owed Gold because they felt more comfortable being in debt to the kind veterinarian than to the town monster. However, what absolutely infuriated Gold, was the fact that Ward always greeted him with the same genuine smile he reserved for everyone in town, which meant that unlike everyone else, Ward did not fear Gold.

"I watched Brad operate on one of his patients today, a puppy who swallowed a tennis ball." Lee told him one night as she sat at the kitchen table filling out paper work required for her business. "He was brilliant. It was like watching an artist at work."

"Lee, you know I don't like you being around that man. Now he is asking you to help with him with surgery?" Gold sat up on the couch and put down the newspaper he was reading. He couldn't believe the nerve of the man.

"It was an emergency and his assistant was already gone for the day. Anyway, the only reason you don't like him is because he doesn't pay you rent like everyone else in this town." She came over to where Gold was sitting and brushed her hands over his shirt as she moved onto the couch and straddled him. His hands automatically went to her waist where the soft material of her shirt bunched up to show a little skin. He could not believe how someone wearing grey sweat pants and a white t-shirt could manage to look as sexy as Lee always did. It did not take long for her lips to find his, for their clothes to melt off their bodies, and for Bradley Ward to become the last thing either one thought about. In the morning, as he cradled her in his arms and ran his hand over her long black hair, Gold realized that for some reason he did not yet understand, this woman made him feel complete.

"I love you, Lee Gold", he whispered brushing his cheek against the top of her head.

"I love you, Kyle Gold", she whispered back, her mouth curving in a smile of sweet contentment.

But later that week, a yellow Volkswagen bug careened into the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign, forcing the driver to rent a room at Granny's Inn at the same time that Gold happened to be collecting rent. The driver introduced herself as Emma Swan and Gold's real memories came rushing back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed. Please review. It's the only way I know if I should continue with the story. **

**I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time**

Chapter 2

After hearing Emma's name for the first time in twenty eight years, he walked out the Inn, unlocked the door of his car, sat behind the wheel, and shut the door behind him. Leaning back into the headrest, Gold closed his eyes, and remained immobile for a long time. Behind closed eyelids flickered images of a dark pub and memories washed over him like a flood.

This pub one was not unlike countless others where he often met those wishing to conduct deals. This deal, however, was different, not so much in and of itself, because most of his "customers" desired some form of power or wealth, but because the "client" was a beautiful woman and also because it was the first time he had left the castle since acquiring a caretaker. Belle had been with him for little over a week. Enough time to take her out of the dungeon and allow her to settle in a real room with something more practical to wear than the ridiculous gold gown she had on in her father's castle. She was still skittish every time he came near so he simply left a note on the dining hall table, telling her he would be gone for a few days and ordering her to continue with her work.

Unsurprisingly, the noblewoman who met him at the tavern showed more confidence than most. She took off her cloak to reveal a tight, low cut bodice, her long blond tresses spilling in loose waves onto her shoulders and back. She offered her body to him in return for a guaranteed win of a bloody battle that would kill the ten nobles ahead of her in line for the throne of the realm. Since several of the nobles had items he required for completing the curse that would soon tear their world apart, he refused the offer. He could see the angry gleam in the woman's eyes, the surprise at his rejection, but to her credit, she was smart enough to remain afraid to vent her anger too vehemently.

"Fine, but it's your loss." She pulled the bodice further down off her shoulders. "You are the one throwing away your only chance to have someone like me be with you willingly and by her own choice. If you change your mind, I am sure you know how to find me." With that she pulled on her cloak, stood up, and regally swept out the door.

Shaking his head, he remained seated long enough to finish the unexpectedly delicious ale served by the little tavern. Covered by a dark cloak and so well hidden in the shadows was the person sitting at the nearby table, that he completely dismissed them as just another traveler or drunkard.

"If you don't mind my saying so, I think she is wrong", came the smooth female voice from the table behind him. Large, brown eyes appraised him calmly and with a hint of curiosity; long, black hair tumbled straight down as she moved her hand to push off the hood of her cloak. The woman's face was enough to intoxicate any man. How well he knew how her particular type of beauty drew men like moths to a flame, how the need to simply lay eyes on it again could become irresistible. Her features and bearing identified her as a native of the Farini realm. Her resemblance to a woman from another lifetime revealed a royal lineage.

"Oh really", he bowed his head in greeting, "and you are?"

"My name is Leena. I am a fighter for hire passing through on my way to my next job and I have wanted to meet you for a long time."

"Why is that, may I ask?" In one graceful movement he was sitting in a chair directly across from the woman.

"You were the husband of a great queen of my people; a queen some say I resemble. I have always wanted to meet the wizard who managed to hold Queen Alicia's affection for thirty years."

"And has your curiosity now been satisfied?"

"Not at all. I think it would take the next thirty years to barely begin to discover who you are."

"Tell me, why would a member of the Farini royal family work as a fighter for hire?

Her smile was warm as it reached her eyes.

"Well, only about thirty people stand before me in-line for the throne. I believe my village blacksmith is one of them. Unfortunately, the wealth of the Farini royals did not trickle down that far. So I am left to ply a living from the only talent my ancestors were able to instill in me."

The sword hanging by her side bore evidence to the truth of what she was saying.

"So dearie, why did you really want to meet me? Do you also wish to move up in-line to the throne? Or is it simply riches and comfort that you crave?"

Her laughter filled his ears and he found that it had a pleasant, musical sound. He found that her proximity enveloped him in strange warmth, the woman who just stalked out of the tavern all but a forgotten figment of his imagination.

"Believe me; I have no desire to be queen, too much responsibility for my taste. Since I have only myself to care for and practitioners of my trade are not exactly known for living to a ripe old age, there is little I would be willing to trade for riches and wealth."

"So you truly did not want to meet me to make a deal?"

"No, no deal. I was simply curious about the husband of a beloved Farini queen, a queen whose rule is still celebrated almost seventy years after her passing."

"All right, in that case, the woman who just left, what exactly do you think she was wrong about?

"I think she was wrong about being your only chance to have a beautiful woman want you." She looked him directly in the eye and he was surprised to see no trace of fear or disgust in her gaze.

He slowly took her hand into his own making sure she could see the mottled skin and the black nails that made his fingers look like talons of an eagle.

"Beautiful women are not exactly known for wanting to be romantically involved with monsters, dearie". He was startled yet again, when she did not pull her hand away from his.

"My queen was married to you for many years. She must not have thought you were a monster."

"And what about you, dearie, what do you think I am?"

"From what I have seen so far, I do not think you are a monster either."

He could not deny that this woman intrigued him and it had been a very long time since he had been intrigued in quite the same way by anyone.

"So, exactly how far are you willing to go, dearie, to satisfy this curiosity of yours?" His high pitched voice carried a trace of amusement as he continued to hold her hand and slowly message it in his own. However, someone who spent years making life and death choices by reading her opponents' facial expressions could easily discern the loneliness and certainty of being rejected, even in the huge, amber eyes that looked upon her now.

"Ahh, if you are asking what I think you are asking, I should probably warn you that it has been years since…the last time I was curious about someone. You could easily buy yourself company that is a lot more knowledgeable and experienced."

"Hmmm, well, I am willing to take my chances… but aren't you at least a little scared?"

"Should I be? Are you the kind of man that would hurt a woman?"

"No, of course not." He drew back from her almost in shock.

"Then, I am willing to take my chances too."

Without letting go of his hand, she stood up and moved toward the stairs that lead to the rooms of the inn. Before she knew what was happening he pulled her close and enveloped her in his arms. There was a moment of what seemed like weightless flight and when the ground once again materialized under her feet she found herself standing in her upstairs bedroom with his arms still wrapped around her.

His hand reached up to touch her hair but his eyes and the tension in his body clearly showed that at any moment he expected her to ask him to leave. As her mind and body adjusted to the unexpected surge of magic, a succession of thoughts swirled behind her eyes but only one was persistent enough to refuse to be quiet. Is it possible that this man has not been seriously involved with anyone since the death of Queen Alicia? Is it possible that the past seventy years have not erased his grief for a wife who died saving a peasant child from a burning building? She felt an overwhelming need to ease his pain and reached out her hand to gently touch his face. He leaned into her touch and she moved closer to place a feather light kiss on his mouth. The tremble that shot through his body startled her enough to take a step back.

"I am sorry. It's been a while for me too". Now his voice was much lower in pitch and held no trace of amusement that was there a few minutes ago.

"That's OK, just tell me if I do anything that hurts you." and her smile was gentle and kind, making him wonder how someone with a smile like that could work as a fighter for hire.

"There is nothing you can do to hurt me, dearie" and now it was his turn to draw her back to him, "and since you haven't made a deal to do this, if you decide that you want to stop, tell me, and we will stop."

She tried to imagine that one hundred years ago when he and Alicia first met, this man would have looked exactly the same as he did today. She wondered if all those generations past, a queen, even younger and less experienced than herself, had to deal with the same insecurity she sensed in this man now. But the growing need to comfort and have him close to her put an end to all musings as she began to gently kiss his eyes and forehead, and trace her tongue against his lips. At the same time she pushed off the dragon-hide coat, pulled out his shirt enough to slide her hands underneath, and began to message his torso and back.

Once again she felt a small surge of magic and when it was over they lay under the covers of the bed, their clothes in a pile on the floor beside them.

"Tell me when you want to stop, Leena," His hand was gently cupping the side of her face but otherwise he remained on his side of the bed and made no move to get closer.

"Not for a few hours", was her only reply before she moved over, wrapped her arms around him, and pressed the entire length of her body to his own.

The first time they made love was slow and gentle and for the first time in a life time, a woman fell asleep wrapped up in his arms. He watched her as she woke after a short nap, watched closely for any sign of disgust or remorse for allowing him to touch her but only saw the same gentle smile and only heard a contented purr as she stroked his hair away from his face. This time she misunderstood the questioning look in his eyes.

"It's all right. We only have this one night to be together. It's all right if you want to pretend I am her." He heard her murmur to him softly and her words shocked him into speech.

"No, Leena, no. I could never see Alicia in anyone else. You are so beautiful and it has been such a long time since I was with someone like this. I don't want to think of anyone but you."

For the rest of the night they made love knowing it was their one and only night together, their bodies giving and taking and flowing together as if they had known each other for years. In the morning, she got dressed, kissed him one last time, rolled up her pack, and headed out the door.

"Leena, if I could I would ask you to come home with me, to stay with me forever."

"Please don't." She came back to the bed and took his hand in hers. "I didn't do this because I wanted to change my life. Fighters for hire must never at any moment care whether they live or die and I could never do this kind of work if there was someone waiting for me to come home. This was one night to help me remember how it feels to be human instead of a weapon or a shield paid to protect someone. Thank you for being there for me and making me remember." With a quick kiss on his cheek, she slipped out the door and out of his life.

There were many reasons why he let her go. For the next few months after returning home, he reminded himself of those reasons almost every day. He knew that he could find her at any time. He proved that by often looking at her in the scrying mirror. He watched as she rode with the other guards beside a merchant caravan they were hired to protect. He watched as she slept under the stars rolled up in her dark cloak and he watched as she single handedly beat three bandits in a sword fight when the caravan was attacked by robbers. He noticed that she was either accepted or feared well enough for all the men to leave her alone. More so, her fighting skills and the need to protect those who could not protect themselves, reminded him of the wife he lost seventy years ago. He could never pretend that anyone else was Alicia, she simply meant too much and seeing her in someone else seemed somehow disrespectful to her memory. Leena was her own person and he realized that he wanted her entirely for herself. He could go to her at any time, more than anything he wanted to go to her, but never did because unlike his relationship with Alicia he no longer had a human lifetime of anywhere near thirty years to give to anyone. The curse was too close to being cast, for weeks before that he would be a prisoner, and to start the kind of relationship he wanted with Leena only to be ripped away from her in a few short months seemed unfair and wrong.

Then there was Belle. Lovely, gentle, sensitive Belle was always with him. She felt his pain and his loss and gave him kindness and friendship in return. How easy it was for Regina to manipulate the innocent girl into thinking what she felt for him was true love. After a life time of loneliness it was impossible for him not to feel something for Belle as well. Of course the kiss didn't break his curse when his heart never completely belonged to her and the terrible mistake he made when he forced Belle to leave was done for the same reasons he never sought out Leena in their old world again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed and read my story. Please review. It's the only way I know if I should continue. **

**I'll try to make the chapters shorter now. I thought Chapter 2 was way too long but couldn't figure out a good way to break it up.**

**I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time**.

Chapter 3

When he finally drove home to their large salmon colored house, Lee sat at the kitchen table filling out the usual myriad of paperwork to keep the licenses for the few weapons kept at her place of business up-to-date. His breath caught in his throat when for the first time in almost thirty years he looked at her and saw the woman he met at the tavern. Taking her by the hand he pulled her up from the chair and smoothed back the hair on either side of her face. The look in his eyes, as if he saw her for the first time, surprised her.

"Are you OK?" were the only words she spoke.

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

A confused smile touched her eyes and made them glow with a pleasant warmth.

"Not for a while but this is a good start."

He pulled her to his chest and held her in a tight hug.

"I am so sorry, Lee. I should have told you I loved you every day that we were together. I promise things will be different now, I promise."

"Hey, it's OK. I love you too."

He stopped her speech by taking her mouth in a passionate kiss, his hands diving beneath her shirt to gently massage her back.

They made love slowly and with infinite care as he tried to make up for all the days they should have shared in the old world and all the days that had gone by unappreciated in the past twenty eight years. More than anything he wanted her to say she loved him and wanted to share his life once the curse was broken, even though he knew how unlikely that was to happen.

The next day, when he walked into the Game of Thorns flower shop, Isabelle French welcomed him with the same bright smile and happy greeting that brought back customers to her father's shop time and time again.

"What can I do for you today, Mr. Gold?" Her beautiful voice with its unique accent was music to his ear and while she put together a bouquet of flowers that Gold told her he was buying for his wife, he stood there basking in the relief and happiness of knowing that Belle was alive.

"Please let your father know that the due date for his loan is coming up and I would like to go over the terms of the agreement. He can come by my shop at any time and bring a copy of the documents."

"Yes, of course. I'll let him know Mr. Gold." She replied with a concerned look on her face.

Gold hoped that look would be replaced by a smile when he told her father that he was willing to allow the extension Moe French so desperately needed on some of the due dates of his loan. He felt the warmth and sense of friendship that he remembered in Belle's presence. He knew that she was the one person who may still care for him when she regained her memories, who had the kindness and generosity to forgive him once she found out the part he played in creating the curse that was now upon them.

On his way to the pawn shop, he found himself thinking of ways to spend more time with her. Asking her to pay off some of her father's debt by working with him in the shop was the first possibility that came to mind. He could bask in her warm presence, enjoy her beautiful smile, and make sure that she was never in danger again. He wanted to touch her long hair, to prove to himself day in and day out that she was indeed alive and well and that his grief over her fate after he cast her out of the castle was unfounded. As he unlocked the shop door something made him glance across the street and catch a glimpse of the building housing the karate studio. The ripple of fear that coursed through his body chased away all other thoughts as fragments of a long forgotten conversation from some years ago floated unbidden and unwelcome in his mind.

"Why do you have this man's card, Lee? Why would you want this person's address in Boston?" He held the offending piece of cardboard between two fingers. The response was a tinkle of laughter as Lee came into the living room from the kitchen.

"For goodness sake, Kyle, the man gave me his business card in case I ever thought about taking a job in Boston."

"What kind of job?"

A serious look he did not think boded well for him came into Lee's eyes.

"The kind that requires the use of my fighting skills, Kyle. It's not anything I would ever consider."

"Do you ever think about it Lee?" He probed deeper, "do you want to do that kind of work?"

"Do I want to know if I am good enough to work in the field? Do I think about proving myself in the real world? Of course I do." He felt a cold hand squeezing around his heart as she talked.

"However, I also know that in order to do this kind of work a person has to be alone and have nothing to live for. They cannot have anyone waiting for them to come home. I would never do that to us Kyle." He realized that he was now breathing a little easier. "As long as I have you, my life is here and I wouldn't want it any other way." She kissed him, took him by the hand and led him to the table where dinner was waiting. The relief she saw in his eyes made her embrace him again. As he held her, he remembered feeling whole again as if a piece of himself that was in danger of being torn away remained a part of him still.

Now, standing on the sidewalk outside his door, he realized that if for one moment Lee thought their marriage was no longer on solid ground, she would have no reason to resist the power and challenge those men offered her. She could slip away from him like the morning mist before the sun and he would never see her again. He locked the door of the pawn shop once again, walked across the street, and opened the door to the studio so the site of her could reassure him that she was still very much there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much to everyone who read my story. Please review. It's the only way I know if I should continue. **

Chapter 4

The bell over the door let out its tingling sound as Bradley Ward walked into Gold's shop. Peeling off his gloves, he placed them in the pocket of his long black wool coat and greeted Gold with his usual smile. Stretched to his full height of just under six feet, short beard, and long white hair tied back in his usual style, Bradley Ward struck an impressive figure. In the old world, he looked exactly how everyone expected a wizard to look. With his deep, calm voice and spare, unexaggerated movements, he acted exactly how everyone expected a wizard to act. The Farini people thought of him as their patron wizard. When practitioners of magic heard of Renik they immediately called him the pet wizard of the Farini and tended not to take him seriously. Rumplestiltskin still chided himself for listening to these rumors and learning the hard way that wizards who actually went far enough to anger the Farini wizard, never tried to do so again. A practitioner of neutral magic, Renik had the power to work with, counteract, and twist dark and light magic alike to fit his own purposes. Unlike Rumplestiltskin, who made deals with anyone desperate enough to meet his price, Renik pledged his services only to the reigning monarch of the Farini realm. This made him the power behind the throne of the largest realm in the old world and was the reason the Farini empire could claim to be wealthier than even Midas' kingdom. Even though Gold now knew exactly to whom he was speaking, the man's words still put him on edge.

"Ah, Mr. Gold or now that our savior has come to town, should I say Rumplestilstkin?" His booming voice reverberated around the shop.

"Well, if it isn't the mighty wizard Renik himself" was Gold's reply as he immediately hid his discomfort at the man's knowledge of his true name. "I take it you never lost your memories, have you?"

"Of course not, someone had to keep our Evil Queen a little off balance all these years. And now that both of us know who we are, I'll come to the real purpose of my visit." Ward moved closer to the counter and clasped his hands behind his back. He looked like a lawyer ready to present his opening statement before a jury.

"For some unfathomable reason, you seem to have ended up with something that belongs to me". His voice carried a note of laughter as if this was a silly misunderstanding barely worth mentioning.

"And what might that be?" Gold's trademark smirk was firmly in place even as his blood began to boil with anger.

"You know perfectly well what, or in this case who, I am talking about. As soon as Emma does what she is supposed to do, I'll be taking Leena back."

"I have no intention of giving her back, Renik" Gold answered in a pleasant and friendly tone. The angry piercing look in the eyes of the two men the only sign that they were not talking about the weather.

"I am afraid that would only accomplish making things difficult for Leena. You know that what is mine always comes back to me eventually." This statement was delivered with a helpless shrug of Ward's shoulders. "Now, now, do you really have any reason to argue?" He continued before Gold had a chance to reply. "Won't you be busy taking care of what is yours? Which by the way, no thanks to you, I pulled out of Regina's dungeon right before the curse hit."

"I didn't know Belle was alive" Gold whispered all trace of levity gone.

"That is obviously true since you were the one who told me she was dead when I came to visit you in that prison cell you insisted on inhabiting. By the way, I have yet to hear a thank you for the spell I wasted all that time creating. You know that invisible room I set up in your jail cell, the one that provided you with three meals a day, gave you a change of clothes, and made it feel like all the dirt from that disgusting place had been washed off your body."

"I never asked you to do that, Renik. Now tell me about Belle." By now Gold was almost growling at the man standing in front of him.

"Ah, yes, if I remember correctly, when I specifically asked if there was anyone you wanted protected from the Queen's wrath before the curse was cast, you told me that your maid was dead. Not, mind you, "the queen told me she was dead", not "I heard she was dead", not one thing that would give me the slightest indication that the Queen could have taken her prisoner." When Ward turned and saw the grief and darkness in Gold's eyes he waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal.

"Fine, fine, anyway, there I was simply checking the queen's dungeons for anyone interesting she may have imprisoned there when this girl starts yelling that she won't tell me anything about Rumplestiltskin even if I offer to rescue her. To make a long story short, I managed to calm her down, get her out of that cell, and change the life Regina had planned for her to something a little more tolerable like putting her to work with her father at that little flower shop."

"Thank you." The words were a sigh of relief on Gold's lips.

"Now you see, this is exactly my point. You have a chance to start a new life, maybe even a family, with Belle. There is no reason for us to argue over Leena."

"What do you want with Lee?"

"My plans are my business but I will give you a clue. You destroyed our world, Rumplestiltskin, and I intend to raise it up again. Farini royals aren't meant to lead a life of solitude and isolation at the Dark Castle. They are meant to be out in the world as warriors and heroes."

"Ah, of course, you want to restore the Farini Empire, with no one but yourself as the power behind the throne once again." Gold interrupted Ward's speech. "You are married to the woman who was the Farini Queen before the curse. You do not need Lee, no matter who she looks like." Gold finished quietly.

"I am afraid I don't agree." With that, Ward started walking towards the door but turned around as he spoke his last words. "Make it easier on everyone, Rumplestilstkin. Do what you have to do to make Emma believe, find your son, marry Belle, have your happy ending with my best wishes, but remember this and remember it well, what is mine will always come back to me."


	5. Chapter 5

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story and especially to those who reviewed. Please review. It's the only way I know if I should continue. Trying to figure out if readers like my story from the story stats is confusing me. (-:)**

**Chapter 5**

As the months went by, Lee never failed to surprise him.

This situation with Ashley and her baby seemed to worry her only because he had gotten hurt when Ashley broke into his shop to steal their signed agreement.

"I wish you wouldn't get involved in things like this, Kyle. Nothing good ever comes of it. Everyone knows that a contract to adopt a child will never stand up in court if a mother wants to keep her baby no matter how much money she accepted for her medical care."

Lee happened to be in back of the shop when Emma burst in the door and accused him of starting the fire in city hall to help get her elected sheriff. After Emma finally left, she slowly came through the curtain to stand by his side behind the glass counter.

"Lee, I can explain" he turned and placed a hand on her upper arm. He did not expect her to come into his arms and begin to slide her hands up and down his back.

"It sounds like Emma is angry with you."

Her lips and tongue placed small kisses and licks on his neck while her fingers undid the top buttons of his shirt.

"Are you angry with me?" He held her close and messaged her back in return.

"Somehow a harmless fire between friends where no one was seriously hurt does not make much of blip on my anger radar. I trust you to know what you are doing."

He wanted to take her back home, to make love to her properly in their bed. However, sensing that neither one of them wanted to wait, the couch in the back of the shop served their purpose just as well.

He wondered how she would react when Emma exposed him for setting the fire in public during her speech. Yet again, Lee remained unfazed and dismissed the situation with mild amusement.

"I don't think anyone was too surprised. Everyone in this town is already afraid of you and probably thinks you are capable of much worse."

She did not seem at all worried that the town would ostracize her even more for her association with him and as all such things usually did the whole thing blew over in a couple of weeks after Emma was elected sheriff.

Mary Margaret's incarceration brought on a rather unexpected response. After Kathryn was found and Mary Margaret exonerated, the look in Lee's eyes almost made him think that she had somehow woken up from the curse and remembered.

"Why did you abduct that woman, Kyle?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Lee. I have no idea what happened to Kathryn or how she got back?"

"Please, don't lie to me. Now, I will ask you one more time, why did you kidnap that woman only to release her right before Mary Margaret was convicted of murder."

Standing there in her long sweater dress belted around the waist, she only needed a sword at her side to look like the fighter-for-hire she had been in the Enchanted Forest. He knew that to lie to her now was useless.

"Because if I didn't make Regina think that Kathryn had been murdered she would have hired someone to really kill her."

That revelation made her sit down and run her hand through her hair.

"You are saying that our beloved mayor is capable of murder?"

"Oh, yes."

"I wish you would have told me. I know I probably can't make you understand but if you are dealing with a murderer, I have the skills to protect you in ways you cannot protect yourself."

"Lee, you can't seriously ask me to put you in danger?"

"Kyle, listen to me, please. You never questioned me about the way I run my business and I truly appreciate that but there is something you need to know. The men who come here from Boston first came because of the advanced technology I invested in for those rooms in the building. Later, when they saw that I knew something about hand-to-hand combat, they began to teach me. They taught me other fighting styles, the use of heavier weapons, suggested I practice fighting with heavy swords to build up body strength. I learned quickly. I guess I have a talent for such things. What I am saying is that in a physical confrontation I can protect you better than you can protect yourself."

He sat down on the couch beside her and smoothed back her hair with his hands.

"You would risk your life for me?"

"Of course I would. I love you."

It wasn't until after August pretended to be Bae that he broke down and told her about his son. When she held him in her arms that night, he realized that when the curse no longer held them captive, he would lose the one person who had stood by him through everything. He would lose the one person with whom he could ever truly share his life.

Gold was surprised when Renik did not seek him out again or interfere with anything he did to manipulate Emma into breaking the curse. Gold of all people knew how long that spider could bide his time sitting quietly in his web and waiting for just the right moment to strike.

His first hint of Ward's involvement came when he noticed that Lee seemed somewhat preoccupied. All of a sudden he would find that she wasn't paying attention to a conversation they were having. Other times she would simply sit and stare into space. When he asked her about it she simply said that she was tired from once again helping Ward with a surgery, this one more intense and difficult than the puppy with a ball in his tummy.

It was the night he placed Charming's sword on the glass counter in front of Emma and Regina and started explaining how Emma had to fight Malificent in her dragon form in order to save Henry, that Renik walked into his shop.

"Excuse me for interrupting but let me assure you that all this effort is quite unnecessary." His deep voice resonated through the small space.

"What do you mean?" Emma whipped around to stare at the tall newcomer.

"Yes, what do you mean, Renik?" and in all the years she's known him even Regina had never heard such venom in Rumplestilstkin's voice.

Looking directly at Emma, the man simply continued to speak, "I mean all you have to do to save Henry is what your father did for your mother when he woke her from the sleeping curse. True Love's kiss will wake the boy just as it did his grandmother."

"Who is that man?" were the only words Emma had time to utter before Regina grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the shop.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" Gold whispered through clenched teeth as he slowly limped toward the man in front of him.

"I believe I just told Emma how to wake her son from a sleeping curse."

"Do you have any idea why I wanted her to fight the dragon?" Gold continued moving toward the man.

"I think I have quite a good idea, actually" was Renik's nonchalant reply as he reached into the pocket of his full length wool coat, pulled out the egg with the True Love potion locked inside, and handed it to Rumplestilstkin who now stood frozen on the spot.

"Did you have the potion all this time?" Gold now spoke quietly.

"Oh, no, not at all, not at all." The man had the nerve to sound almost amused. "The potion came into my possession only a few of days ago."

"How did you get it from inside the dragon?" The anger in Gold's voice was unmistakable.

"How I got it is fairly simple. Leena and I surgically removed it." When he saw Gold's face pale, Renik continued speaking. "You see, Malificent owes me a favor and I can't very well collect on that debt if she is dead."

"You took Lee down into that mine. You risked her life bringing her near that thing." Gold 's grip on his cane tightened as he stood in front of the taller man. His desire to bring the cane down on Ward's shoulders plainly obvious.

"The dragon wasn't about to fight anyone. She was sick. I've checked on her over the years and a short while ago that thing inside her body started to cause an infection. I waited as long as I could to remove it and, unfortunately, the surgery was a two person job."

"And you just decided to ask Lee to help you."

"Who else could I trust to keep it together after seeing a dragon without having their memories back? It was obvious that the fight between Regina and Emma was coming to a head so I knew it wouldn't take long before the curse broke. I simply asked Lee to give me a few days before asking for an explanation."

"And she was OK with that?"

"Of course she was OK with it. Deep down she is still a Farini warrior who knows she can trust the patron Wizard of her people."

"Trust! That's a laugh. You used her…"

"Don't you have a potion to throw in a well?" Ward waved a hand to dismiss Gold's indignation. "And perhaps someone to keep you company while you do it?" He turned as Isabelle French walked inside. "I believe that's my cue to leave" were his parting words as he exited the shop to the tinkle of the bell above the door.


	6. Chapter 6

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. Reviews are very much appreciated! **

**Chapter 6**

"Yes, Ms. French. What can I do for you today?" Gold greeted Belle without a trace of anger from his previous conversation with Renik.

"Hello, Mr. Gold. I wanted to discuss the loan payment that's due on the flower shop tomorrow."

"I am afraid I have an urgent matter to attend to but if you wouldn't mind taking a drive with me, we can discuss it on the way."

A few minutes later, Gold stopped the car and walked toward the well in the woods with Isabelle at his side. A pulse of energy ripped through the air signifying the breaking of the curse. A while later, a cloud of purple smoke enveloped the town before it too dissipated into the ether. When they drove back into town a very shell shocked Belle walked with Rumplestiltskin into his shop. Immediately, Rumplestiltskin dialed Leena's phone again as he kept doing on the drive back, but there was still no answer. He decided to make Belle tea, let her stay in the shop until she was ready to go find her father, and go home to look for Lee. The tremendous sense of relief that flooded his body when he saw her walking into the shop almost made him drop the kettle he was holding. Unfortunately, the only thing Lee saw were two the cups on a tray. The look of sadness that Rumplestiltskin saw in her eyes but didn't quite understand shocked him to the core.

"Leena, please, it's all right." He started walking out from behind the counter to reach her.

But in those few seconds he saw her straighten and noticed her posture become more rigid. When she met his eyes again all that remained was the even tempered, unemotional look of a fighter-for-hire.

"Ah, so you were reunited with someone from our old world," She greeted Rumplestiltskin with a smile.

"Leena, I was just going to look for you. I tried to call but there was no answer."

"No, I was talking to…someone else."

"I see Renik didn't waste any time becoming a font of information, did he?"

"I guess he figured that I should be prepared for whatever happened. Anyway, the reason I came by was to let you know that I'll be staying at Granny's for a while. It will be easier that way for both of us."

"Lee, you don't have to leave our home."

"If you remember, in the old world I was a fighter-for-hire. Taking care of myself was the one thing I knew how to do. Now, I should remember how to do that well enough to get a room at Granny's." She seemed in a hurry to get the words out. "You don't owe me anything Rumplestiltskin, our marriage was something the curse forced to happen." Once again a look of sadness flickered but immediately disappeared from her eyes.

"Lee, please." He tried to stop her once again.

"We can talk more about this later…if you want. I will just be at Granny's."

As Belle stood by the curtain listening to their conversation she realized that this was the first time she heard a note of pleading in Rumplestiltskin's voice. After Lee left and Rumplestiltskin placed the tea tray on the table in the back of the shop, she got up and held his hand in her own.

"For the duration of the curse, Regina gave me a life in which I was married" Rumplestiltskin knew he couldn't keep Belle in the dark any longer. Belle nodded and looked down at the floor.

"To the woman who was just here?" She asked. Her blue eyes, when she glanced back at Rumplestiltskin offered kindness and understanding.

"Yes."

"She still means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"Yes. I am sorry Belle." As the words escaped from his lips, the idea of hurting her pierced his soul.

"That's OK, Rumple. We just need to be honest with each other. I still love you."

"And I love you, Belle but…not in the way you deserve to be loved."

"Rumple, there is something I have to tell you too. The Evil Queen didn't imprison me immediately after I left you. The first person I met on the road was King Robert of the Western Realm."

"I know who that is Belle. That's Cinderella's father in law, Prince Thomas' father."

"When he found out that I needed a place to stay, he offered me a room in his castle. I had nowhere else to go so I accepted. I told him, briefly, about my past, and he told me that I was the bravest person he ever met. Afterwards, he not only gave me a room, he let me learn how to restore books with the expert he had working in his library. I stayed with him for a year before the Evil Queen caught me. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"And you started to have feelings for him, didn't you," Belle looked away and nodded.

"That's OK, Belle. I am not angry with you. I am glad you had someone who looked after you." When she looked back up at him again, there was relief in her eyes.

"All I am saying Rumple is…maybe we shouldn't make any decisions right now. Maybe we should just see where our feelings for each other take us."

He reached out and stroked the hair on the side of her face but before he could say anything else both of them jumped at the sound of the bell above the door. They heard quick footsteps coming toward the back and a musical voice that could only belong to one person calling,

"Grandfather, are you in here?"

The curtain to the back room was torn open and Renik's wife, a beautiful dark haired woman in high heels and grey dress made of the softest mohair, almost bowled him over as she flung herself into his arms.

"Marina." He leaned back against a desk for support, whispered her name, and simply held her in his arms. She finally pulled back with tears in her eyes and continued to hold on to his hands. It took a few moments for her to notice Belle but when she did, Marina opened her arms, and the two women hugged each other like old friends.


	7. Chapter 7

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. Each and every one is a bright spot in my day and very appreciated. **

******A special thank you goes out to all of my reviewers - norahmars, Moniii, Dees, Theatre Fan, Crys, and Kira Tsumi**

**Chapter 7**

Belle remembered the first time she met Marina.

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She had been at the Dark Castle for almost a month. Rumplestiltskin had been away for several days negotiating another one of his deals when she walked into the dining hall to find one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen bent over the dining room table. Later Belle would notice the long, light blue dress decorated with thin lines of silver in a bold, narrow style Belle never knew existed, she would be surprised that the dress did not have any obvious fastenings, and that the woman did not seem to be wearing a corset. In those first few minutes however, as Belle stood frozen in the door way, her attention was riveted by a huge black panther next to the woman. The animal sitting down on the floor was as tall as a person sitting in a chair. There seemed to be something like a napkin on the table in front of it and the woman was using a small hard surface to cut in pieces food for the animal to eat. The woman seemed as surprised to see Belle as Belle was to see her. The animal, however, gave Belle one look out of its huge yellow eyes and returned to eating the food placed in front of it. The woman regained her composure first.

"Well hello there and may I ask who you are?" Her musical, soft voice was pleasant to Belle ear.

"My name is Belle and I am the caretaker of this estate," Once Belle had some hope that the animal would not lunge for her throat that very minute, she got over her shock enough to speak a few words.

"Really!" The woman seemed a little taken aback by this announcement but once again regained her composure almost immediately. "I am Marina, Princess of the Farini Realm." The dark haired woman inclined her head in greeting to Belle.

If anything, this announcement shocked Belle even more than the huge animal did. The Farini Realm was the largest and wealthiest empire in the Lands and being in the same room with one of its highest ranking monarchs was something aspired to only by other high placed royals and most famous warriors. "Your Majesty," as soon as Belle understood who this woman was, she dropped into a deep curtsy with her head bowed and eyes lowered to the floor. It was at this moment that a column of purple smoke announced Rumplestiltskin's arrival back at the castle.

"No, no, no, for the last time, I don't want that flea ridden beast eating at the table. It's an animal, Marina, it can eat on the floor."

"Grandfather!" Belle heard the woman call out as she ran into Rumplestiltskin's arms. Belle noticed that the cat continued to calmly pick pieces of meat off the napkin lying in front of it.

"And you, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that and not to come here?" But since Rumplestiltskin's words were said while he still held the woman in a hug, her only response when the two finally let go of each other was,

"You are only being picky about being called grandfather because you are actually my great-grandfather."

"I am not picky and we are not related by blood in any way, shape, or form." Belle heard Rumplestiltskin's voice take on its familiar high pitch tone and began to fear for the woman. However, Marina simply waved her hand in dismissal and continued speaking as if he did not say anything worthy of a reply.

"Now, seriously Grandfather, it just so happens I have something important to tell you."

"That reminds me Marina, if that animal messed up the lock spells on my doors again, I'll skin it alive and use its pelt for a coat."

It was after this declaration, that the panther finally decided it was finished eating and slowly sauntered over to the spinning wheel standing on the other side of the room. The next thing Belle saw was a medium sized, long haired house cat, with brown fur accented with streaks of white, curled up comfortably in the basket of straw by the side of the wheel. Before Rumplestiltskin could even respond to this new development, the woman grabbed his hand and turned to face Belle.

"No you see, you got me so flustered that I completely forgot to introduce Belle to Giovanni." But before Belle could ask who Giovanni was, the woman gestured at the sleeping cat. "Giovanni is my panther-cat. He is my body guard against any magical and non-magical people who may want to harm me. Once he thinks I am safe, he turns back into a cat. You don't have to be afraid of him, in fact, you can pet him any time."

"Ahh…" Was the only response Belle seemed to be capable of making. The cat raised its head from the basket of straw and the woman turned and shook her finger at him.

"Don't you start Giovanni. We discussed the petting issue before."

"Amazingly enough, Belle," Rumplestiltskin spoke to the bewildered woman, "she is not crazy for talking to him. The Farini Wizard's spell allows them to communicate without speaking. I think she is crazy for thinking that anyone in their right mind would want to pet a huge, lethal looking panther. However, since a Farini never met a furry animal they didn't want to touch there might be some sense in making sure the beast didn't eat a child for reaching out to pet its fur."

"I am going to bring some tea", Belle discovered another few words she could manage speaking.

Marina's visit threw Belle into an emotional storm. She needed time to process what she saw in that room. All the visitors she had seen come to Dark Castle brought with them feelings of desperation and fear. Marina was the first who brought love and warmth. Instead of treating Rumplestiltskin like a monster, she treated him like family. This made Belle think that maybe Rumplestiltskin wasn't exactly who she thought he was.

When Belle left the room Rumplestiltskin sat down on the bench in front of his spinning wheel, the woman immediately sat down next to him.

"By the way, you are picking out every piece of fur that animal left in my straw." He pointed his finger at the napping cat. The cat then decided to awaken, jump up, and walk over to curl up on Rumplestiltskin's lap.

"Now, its getting fur on me," But since this was followed with long strokes to the cat's back, the animal started to emit a purr loud enough to be heard on the other side of the estate.

"Never mind Giovanni, Grandfather. I have been trying to tell you that I am getting married." Rumplestiltskin turned to woman with a serious look in his eyes.

"You decided on someone, then, Marina?"

"I decided a long time ago Grandfather, I just didn't expect him to agree when I asked him."

"Something tells me I am not going to like this?"

"You know I've been thinking about marrying Renik for a long time," and now Rumplestiltskin gently cupped her cheeks with his hands. The cat abandoned his lap for the straw basket once again.

"Is that a good idea, Marina? He is a wizard."

'I've been sure about this for a long time." The woman leaned her head against his shoulder.

"If this is truly what you want, then I am happy for you."

"Thank you, Grandfather." Marina's sigh of relief made him realize that all this time she was afraid he wouldn't accept her decision.

"Have you started planning the wedding yet?" He rubbed her shoulders to relieve the tension in her body.

"Yes," and he was glad that she was her old self again, plotting something that he was sure somehow involved him, "the wedding is three months from now, two months after my twentieth birthday."

"I'll be sure to send you some squid ink in case Renik changes his mind and tries to run away." He circled his hand and giggled in a high pitched voice.

"There is something else I want Grandfather."

"I am sure there is my sweet, now spit it out."

"I want both you and my father to give me away at my wedding."

"No." Cutting and quick, Rumplestiltskin's voice lost all trace of humor and left no doubt as to how serious he was being.

"But you attend gatherings at King Midas' and King George's court all the time." A pretty pout appeared on her face.

"Not as a member of their wedding party, sweetheart." He shook his head and pulled her to him in a hug. "You cannot publicly advertise your connection to me, Marina. You don't want anyone to associate my name with yours or any other Farini royal." Instead of answering, she snuggled her head into his shoulder and continued to cling to him.

"Your grandfather should have never brought you here when you were little." He stroked her hair with his hand and she raised her head enough to speak.

"You expected a man who never stopped thinking of you as his father to just abandon you after his mother died?"

"Yes, I did." The simple, honest words tumbled from his mouth. When he saw the surprise and sadness in her eyes he continued, "Well, if not that, I certainly expected him to leave me in peace instead of wheedling a teleportation spell from Renik so he could bring his children and grand children here to make all sorts of mayhem and commotion." At that the smile was back on her face.

"Fine, I will stop being a grandchild who makes mayhem and commotion and leave you in peace. I will reserve two boring seats for you and a guest at the King's table for my wedding but don't blame me if you decide you wanted to take part in the ceremony after all."

Marina insisted on Belle joining them for tea and it wasn't until the three of them were finished that he realized he was now invited and committed to the one festive gathering he would normally have refused to attend. In addition to that, he would be sitting with the very visible wedding couple at the very visible King's table. He somehow got the feeling that the entire discussion about walking down the aisle to give away the bride was staged to maneuver him into agreeing to attend the wedding in the first place. It wasn't until Belle took the tea tray back to the kitchen that he managed to ask the one question that had been in the back of his mind all this time.

"What do you mean a guest, Marina?"

"Well, there are still people who remember that you were married to Queen Alicia which will most likely make them curious enough to want to get to know you. So if you want to avoid unwanted female attention, you might be more comfortable if Belle was with you."

"Belle? What in the world makes you think she would want to come with me? She is afraid to be near me." He didn't quite understand the knowing smile on Marina's face.

"Three months from now Grandfather, three months from now when she is no longer afraid of you", and with another knowing look from Marina, the brown cat changed back into a huge panther and in a thin column of white smoke whisked both of them out of the room.

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"We have a lot to talk about Grandfather and I'll be back to do it." With another hug for him and a warm good bye to Belle, the hurricane that was Marina, left the shop.


	8. Chapter 8

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******A couple of scenes and some dialog in this chapter were taken and modified from Nikita Season 1 episode 5. The Guardian (I don't own anything from that show either) (-:)**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. Reviews are very much appreciated!**

A few days after their memories returned, Charming's "We Are Both" speech seemed to keep the residents of Storybrooke from going over the edge. The school and the stores on Main Street opened for business and Granny's diner served hot chocolate and comfort food once more; but for a group of people on the brink of madness, the after-shocks of the curse kept on coming as another explosion brought the town to its knees.

The manager of the Storybrooke bank walked Lee out of his office smiling politely and asking if there was any other way that he could be of service. A few hours later, when he told his story to Sheriff Swan, the bank manger would say that he saw Lee Gold glance toward the entrance, stop, and tense. If he had seen her face at that moment he would have noticed that her entire demeanor changed. She looked like a predator spotting her prey in the distance and calculating the next move as she slowly moved in on her hunt. She whispered to the manager to press the silent alarm and the man quickly ran back toward his office. At that moment two gunmen burst into the front door and yelled for everyone to get down as bullets from huge semi-automatics rained into the walls and glass partitions of the room. In a few minutes, the tellers finished stuffing whatever money they had available into sacks the men threw at them. When they heard the police siren outside, the sound angered and agitated the bank robbers. One of them grabbed a child from her mother's side and shouted to the other to get out. It was at that moment that the manager heard Lee Gold's voice.

"Wait", she slowly got up from the floor and started moving toward the gunman, "Take me. I'll make a better shield."

After that things happened very quickly. He saw the man point his weapon and yell for her to get down. And then he saw Lee strike out, her elbow connecting with the gunman's throat, and heard the gun clatter to floor. She twisted the man's arm behind his back and positioned his body in front of her as the second gunman began to fire. He watched her pull out a gun from her coat pocket and fire a shot that took down the second gunman as a flower of blood bloomed on her upper arm.

The bank manager remembered glancing outside the window, hearing the siren of the EMS unit, and seeing Sheriff Emma Swan run into the bank. Lee now held the first gunman kneeling on the floor. Emma hand-cuffed him quickly, walked outside, and put him in the back of the patrol car. The paramedics carried in a stretcher and tended to the second bank robber. By then almost everyone was running outside into the bank parking lot and a crowd of spectators had formed behind the yellow police tape that Charming had the presence of mind to string around the area.

Gold had just come back to the shop after rescuing Belle from the mines following her father's failed attempt to send her over the town line underground. Noticing the commotion at the bank, he stopped and watched the proceedings from the front door of the pawn shop. He saw the paramedics load the man on the stretcher into the EMS vehicle and take off toward the hospital with the siren wailing. Only then did he see Lee briefly speak to Charming, carefully get into her car as if she was protecting an injury, and drive away. As fast as he could, Gold made his way over to Granny's Inn.

When no answer came to his knock on the door, the pass key to all the rooms of the inn he owned, allowed easy entrance. It was obvious that Lee didn't hear the knock. The bathroom door was open and water was running from the tap in the sink. He quietly crossed the carpeted room and stood by the bathroom door. Even though he was clearly visible in the mirror hanging above the vanity she failed to see him because at that moment she was definitely not concentrating on the mirror. And what held her attention almost made him light headed with nausea. An empty syringe lay on the vanity top, beside it was a surgical knife covered in blood, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and a small bowl with red tinged liquid. A large bullet was emerging from the flesh of her upper left arm pulled by a pair of bloody tweezers held tightly in her right hand. The bullet made a soft plopping sound as it dropped into the water filled bowl and only then did she look up to see him standing there. Her eyes registered only confusion and surprise. Quickly she scooped all the instruments into the sink, turned off the tap, and hastily placed a gauze bandage onto the wound.

"Here, let me see that", were the first words out of his mouth as he moved to help her.

"No, it's all done", and her words were almost an order, "What are you doing in here?"

"I came to see if you were all right. Why didn't you go to the hospital to treat that bullet wound?"

"I am fine. I can easily take care of this myself. If it was something more serious of course I would go to the hospital. Now, if you will excuse me."

She was extremely pale from the blood loss and desperately needed to lie down to recuperate. More than anything he wanted to help her but knew that she would use every ounce of her quickly fading energy to appear strong, that she would not allow herself to show weakness until she was alone in the room.

As he stood beside her, he could not help gently placing his hand on her arm and sending a pulse of magic to heal the wound.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that." Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course I did, Lee."

Her smile was the only thing to show that even though she had summarily dismissed him from her room, she was still just a little pleased to see him. Walking down the stairs of the inn the realization that she could have been killed forced him to reach out and grab the railing to keep from falling.

However, he was now even more certain about what he had to do. He pulled a cell phone out of the pocket of his suit and started making some long overdue phone calls.


	9. Chapter 9

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. Reviews are very much appreciated!**

******The inspiration for the character of Eli Kincade came from Steven Seagal's role in the "True Justice" series. (I don't own any characters from that show either) (-:)**

**Chapter 9**

The day after the bank robbery, a phone call from Emma almost sent Regina over the edge. The news was worse than she could ever imagine. A special team of Boston PD detectives was coming to Storybrooke to investigate the crime.

She walked into Mr. Gold's pawn shop and locked the door behind her.

"Gold," she called, "where are you?"

He came out to meet her from the back of shop.

"And what can I do for you today, Regina?" he asked in his usually sarcastic tone of voice.

"Have you heard that our town is about to be invaded by the police?"

"With Mrs. Lucas running around airing out her guestrooms at Granny's Inn and everyone in town talking about it, it's hard not to hear."

"Then how can you be so calm?"

"What else is there to do, Regina?" he answered, "We simply need to get these detectives in and out of town as soon as possible. Everyone needs to answer their questions, keep a low profile, and not make them suspicious of anything. They will see that no one in town knows anything about these criminals and leave."

"Why did I come here thinking I was going to hear something I didn't already know?" But for once she walked out of the shop door without almost breaking his little bell.

When his contact at city hall called to say that two men just walked out of the sheriff's office, Gold was certain their next stop would be the inn. He walked out of the shop and made his way over to a table in the back of Granny's diner. From this table he had a perfect view of the front desk. As he predicted, a black SUV drove up and parked across the street from the diner. A young man in his mid twenties got out of the driver's seat. Tall, athletic, with a full head of blond hair, he looked ready and willing to take on any job no matter how difficult. But it was the man getting out of the passenger side who disturbed Gold. Obviously the senior of the two, this man looked to be somewhere in his late forty's with slightly graying hair, a little over six feet tall, and a muscular body that still looked like it could chase down and get the better of any criminal in a fist fight. More than his physical appearance, it was the look in this man's eyes that worried Gold. His eyes seemed to look right through whoever stood in front of him, reading their thoughts, judging their character. He looked like a man who had managed to get out alive from places few people ever went in this world and when they met in the next few days, as they were bound to do, Gold did not want this man to recognize a kindred spirit.

Granny Lucas was welcoming the two detectives and Gold listened in on snatches of their conversation.

"I am Detective Steve Bowen", he heard the younger man introduce himself as she handed him a room key, "and this is detective Eli Kincade."

"Your rooms are all ready, just up the stairs and to your right."

"Thank you very much," he heard the two men as they disappeared upstairs.

He knew Leena was staying in a room down the hall to the left and something about her being in such close proximity to Eli Kincade disturbed him. After calling in a favor from the cook at Granny's Diner, he just happened to be having dinner, seated in a booth directly behind the detectives the next evening.

"I don't think there is much more for us to investigate here, Eli", he heard the younger detective's voice. "Both bank robbers are in jail. The Gold woman shot the second one in self-defense. As strange or lucky as that may be what else is there for us to do except close the case."

"That's just it, Steve", the older detective put down the water glass he held in his hand. "These bastards robbed two banks in Boston and vanished without a trace. They came to this town thinking that robbing a bank in "Mom and Pop Smallville, USA" should be a piece of cake after the big city, right? But they were wrong. They were wrong because a woman decided to go Robocop, took down an armed gunman with her bare hands, and shot the other one with a gun she just happened to have in her coat pocket."

Gold got through the various retellings of the bank robbery by imagining that the stories were exaggerated. Hearing the police detective's description almost made him feel dizzy from knowing how much danger Lee had actually faced.

"She is a karate instructor and she has a private investigator's license to carry that gun. She was lucky."

"She wasn't lucky Steve." For a second Kincade's voice sounded louder but he quickly brought it back down to almost a whisper. "You saw the bank security tape. Those weren't karate moves she used on the first gunman. That was hand-to-hand combat, straight navy seal. Where would she learn how to fight like that? And that's not all. Did you see her eyes when she stood up and started walking toward the guy? Nothing to lose, nothing to live for, that's a professional, Steve. That's who I used to work with. "

"We could do a background check."

"Already did. Apparently she was born and lived in this town all her life. I am just waiting for a call from the top office telling us to drop the whole thing."

"You think she is working for the government, that she is some kind of agent?"

"I don't know. If she isn't, she should be. I'd love to get her together with some of my former contacts, if she wants the job."

"She did say her marriage fell apart recently and that's why she rented a room here now. Maybe you should talk to her off the record."

"Maybe." was Kincade's only response before Ruby brought their check to the table and Bowen got up to pay and then walked to his room upstairs.

It was then that Gold saw Lee coming down. She smiled politely at Bowen and would have turned and seen Gold sitting in the side booth had her attention not been caught by Kincade's greeting.

"Ah, Ms. Gold, just the person I wanted to see?" Lee came up and took Bowen's seat in the same booth he just shared with Kincade.

"Do I need a lawyer for this conversation, detective. In that case my husband just happens to be one?" Was Lee's arch reply.

"No, Ms. Gold. I am not here to arrest you. I am here to simply discuss a few things I found out during the course of my investigation." A few booths away, Gold sat stock still trying to hear the conversation in the quiet diner.

"And what exactly did you find out detective?" It was then that Gold noticed the similarities between Lee's and Kincade's body language. They looked like sparring partners circling each other, trying to read each other's eyes, find out exactly what cards the other was holding.

"You run a fighting ring, Ms. Gold, with a little illegal betting on the side to make it interesting," was Kincade's next parry.

"I am sure I don't know what you mean, detective. I am a karate instructor. That's all." Gold heard Lee answer.

"Like I said, Ms. Gold, I am not here to arrest you or press charges. I do want to give you one bit of advice that I learned a long time ago."

"And what is that detective", In Lee's voice, Gold could hear how much she was enjoying this encounter.

"A bored fighter is a dangerous fighter, Ms. Gold. They are dangerous to others but even more so they are dangerous to themselves. They take risks without thinking of the costs or consequences of their actions, they put themselves in unnecessary danger, and they very often get killed, Ms. Gold. And that would be a waste, especially when I can offer you such useful and interesting work."

"Detective Kincade," Lee leaned back in her seat. "I am very flattered but I don't think being a police officer is the job for me."

"I am not talking about joining the police force, Ms. Gold. What I am offering is much more off the books, more freelance in nature, and would provide more opportunity for the use of your very formidable fighting skills. If you are ever interested, please call me." Kincaid stood up and handed Lee his card.

"Thank you detective. I promise to consider your offer." Gold heard Lee say as Kincaid inclined his head toward the woman and walked away up the stairs to his room. With a bemused expression on her face, Lee walked out the front door and drove away.

That night, the detectives' conversation kept playing over in his mind. Only now did he understand exactly how highly her skills were valued in this world. Eli Kinkade or the men who came from out of town to fight in her karate studio would be only too glad to offer her any number of opportunities for dangerous and exciting work. If that work was wrapped in a mantle of patriotism and honor of protecting one's country, would she be able to resist such a siren song. Tomorrow, he had to talk to her. He had to make sure she knew the consequences of stepping over the town line. He had to try and make her stay because, even if she didn't come back to him, he would do anything to keep from losing her completely.


	10. Chapter 10

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. I was so thrilled with the response to the last chapter and very happy to pass the 10 review mark. Keeping my fingers crossed for some more reviews on this one. (-:)**

**Chapter 10**

When he knocked on her door at Granny's Inn the next morning the first thing he noticed was that she looked different. She wore a simple grey sweater over tight, black pants. With jet black hair spilling down her back, low heel black boots completed her outfit. Even more than the outfit, the look in her eyes was also different. It seemed somehow tougher, more like a predator that looked through instead of at a person. Gone were the soft colors she used to wear and gone was the smile that came into her eyes that he so loved to see when they were together in the past few months since Emma came to town.

"I am glad you are here, Rumplestiltskin," she held the door open and moved aside to let him into the room. Her voice held not the slightest hint of familiarity. Instead, it was formal and business like. But lifetimes of reading people's emotions told him that there was still feeling there. With a shock he understood why her bags were packed the minute the curse broke and possibly before she even knew about Belle. Looking at her at that moment, he realized that she left him before he had a chance to leave her.

He started to say the first thing that came to his mind.

"Lee, I wanted to tell you, I think what you did at the bank was incredible."

"What?" her brow furrowed in confusion but she regained her composure quickly, "that's nothing. Thank you." She added after realizing that her reply may have been too brusque. "Actually, that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. I am not sure if it matters now but I thought it would be better if you found out from me first. Detective Kincade offered me a job in Boston."

He interrupted her at once.

"You can't cross the town line, Lee. If you do, you will forget everything about your past life. Your curse memories will be the only ones you will have."

Her calm demeanor told him that she already knew and a cold dread slowly settled in the pit of his stomach.

"I know about the town line. I was there when Leroy came running with the news. I was going to tell you but then Charming said you already knew when he came to me to talk about Red's problem."

"Good. This means you know you can't go to Boston."

"I never considered going to Boston."

The cold dread now crept all the way up to his chest.

"What are you saying Lee?" His voice was quiet but his entire body tensed, white knuckles gripping the top of his cane.

She ran her hands through her hair and turned her back to him as she looked out the window. When she turned to face him once again, her answer was almost a whisper.

"Renik is looking for a way back to our old world. He offered me a different job."

"I have no doubt he did." The exasperation and sarcasm came through unmistakably in his voice.

"It's an offer I accepted."

"Lee…" He moved toward her but stopped when he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"I am sorry," She lowered her voice as soon as he finished speaking, "but it is true."

"Lee, don't you see that we have other options now."

"Actually, I think our options are pretty straight forward," and her voice was once again firm, "you have the option to start a life with your true love and figure out the magic necessary to cross the town line without forgetting who you are and I have the option to get back to the only kind of work I know how to do."

"That's not the only choice you have." His voice rose again.

"What are you talking about?" Her voice rose along with his.

"You could stay with me, Lee." He pronounced the words almost in a whisper but she drew back and stared at him as if he slapped her. The amused smile that for a moment almost touched her eyes surprised him.

"Stay with you? As what, part of threesome?" and now her words dripped with sarcasm.

"As my wife, Leena. You could stay with me as my wife."

She slowly sat down in one of the two chairs in the room and raised her eyes to meet his.

"You can't live in the past forever. Alicia has been gone for a long time. It was OK to pretend I was her for one night in our old world. It is not OK to continue to use me to live in the past. You can have a life with Belle, a good life. You were my queen's husband, not mine, and I care about you too much to stand in the way of you having a real relationship with someone."

"I was your husband for many years too."

"Not by choice. I can't figure out why but that was all Regina's doing. I hope you agree that it wasn't a bad way to spend an almost thirty year curse but none of it was real."

"The last eight months since Emma came to town were real for me."

If anything, she now looked more shocked than ever. She got up, walked to the other end of the room before turning around to face him again but when she started speaking it was almost as if she spoke to herself.

"You got your memories back when Emma came to town, didn't you? That's why you started being so different. Of course, you didn't know Belle would come back so you spent those months trying to make sure I fell in love with you. It's not going to be as easy as crossing the town line to forget that you know. I bet it will take a few months before that memory is no longer an issue me."

"Stop it, Lee. Stop it," he couldn't help shouting now, "I loved you from the first time we made love in that tavern, for almost thirty years of this curse, and every day for the months I knew who you were, and never once did I think of you as a replacement for Alicia. My heart was yours long before I came to care about Belle. I made the terrible mistake of sending her away for the same reason I never came to find you, because I knew we would be ripped apart by this curse. Never in my life did I think that Belle and I could have a life together in the old world. In the five days since the curse broke in this world she tried to change me five times and got hurt five times when she realized I wouldn't change. You are my only chance to have a partner again, to truly share my life with someone again. I love you Leena, I loved you since I met you. Now it's up to you to decide if you want to share my life with me. Good or bad, that is your other option." When he realized that his hands came up and held on to her upper arms, he stepped back and immediately let her go. She sank down into the chair and lowered her head into her hands.

"You can't be serious?" were the first words out of her mouth.

"I am very serious, Lee."

"Rum," his heart rose at the familiar nickname he never thought to hear from her lips again, but the next words and the tears glistening in her eyes dashed his hopes once more, "No Farini could turn down what Renik offered me."

He realized then that he could no longer hold back the inkling of an idea that was pushed and buried deep down in his mind ever since Renik gave him the egg with the True Love potion inside. He felt that there was something not quite right about Renik's statement when he said that he could not collect the debt Malificent owed him if she was dead. Renik would have known that Malificent would not die if Emma killed her dragon form, she would simply take on a different shape. Now Rumplestilstkin knew without a doubt that in order to collect his debt Renik needed Malificent to not only be alive but able to take on her dragon form at will.

"He offered to let you be Dragon-rider, didn't he?" He knew, even as he said it, that what he dreaded most was happening right in front of his eyes. Her next words confirmed all his fears.

"No Farini could refuse that, Rum. You know that."

He always knew that this was the way Renik worked. Renik's slaves and puppets didn't know they were chess pieces in his game because he gave them the one thing they wanted most and filled the one need they may not have even realized they had. Rumplestiltskin knew that any attempt to talk her out of this would fail but he simply could not live with himself without trying.

"Lee, you can't think about agreeing to what he is asking. It's suicide. He doesn't care about you, not the way he cared about Alicia. Renik only knows that he now has what he always wanted, Dragon-rider and Queen as two different people instead of one. In the old world his magic allowed Pearlescent to choose her rider. Through his magic, that choice bonded rider and dragon and Pearlescent bound herself to Alicia. Here, he has no magic to do any of that. He has absolutely no idea how much control Malificent will have when she is in her dragon form. The fact that he even suggested this is proof that he doesn't care anything about you."

"I know the danger involved, Rum, and this is exactly my point. I need to have a life that allows me to make choices where whatever happens doesn't affect anyone but myself. That means I can't have anyone waiting for me to come home. You have a chance at a good life with Belle, free of shadows from the past, with a woman who can put you first in her life, who can even give you child if that's what you wanted. "

"Lee, please don't do this."

"Don't you see Rumplestilskin, I am not leaving you because I don't love you, I am leaving you because I do."

She stood up and no longer tried to hold back tears.

"You know it's the only way this works, Rum. You know that."

He left her room simply because at that moment he did not know what else to say.

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**Reviews are very much appreciated!**


	11. Chapter 11

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story and for the great response to the last chapter. Keeping my fingers crossed for some more reviews on this one. (-:)**

**Chapter 11**

The dark sky was heavy with the promise of rain. A day that started out with the sun peeking out from behind fluffy white clouds had turned blustery and gray. A large group of people hurried through the doors and into the warmth of the stately building in the middle of town. Only a few days ago Albert Spencer was placed under arrest, absolving Ruby, or in this case her wolf self, of any connection to the murder of Billy, the town mechanic. Ruby still grieved for her friend but at least now she could be sure that the wolf she turned into every full moon had nothing to do with the crime.

"I wonder what Renik wants now?" Gold caught up to Snow and Charming on the steps leading to the meeting room at City Hall.

"From what I heard of Renik, he was the patron wizard of the Farini people, wasn't he?" Snow turned to Gold. "Large empire, wealthy, but like Midas' realm, they mostly kept to themselves. The only other thing I know about them is that at one time they helped quite a few other realms in their battles against the Ogres?"

"Just be happy you don't know the man. I don't think you would have liked crossing paths with him." Gold looked straight ahead as he continued on his way to take his usual seat in the council room.

Charming and Snow had just joined the large crowd in the room when Renik walked up to the podium on stage. He wore a dark sports jacket over a dress shirt and pants and projected the goodwill and impeccable manners one might expect from a college professor addressing a room full of students. However, behind the bonhomie, everyone could detect a sense of absolute authority.

"Let me start by offering my apologies for taking up everyone's time and asking them to come here today for what will be a very brief announcement on my part. I simply wanted to avoid any town-wide scare and warn everyone that in the next several days they may see a dragon flying over the town." At this point Renik stopped speaking as a collective gasp was heard from his audience. He waved his hands in a calming gesture and continued speaking.

"Now, now, please everyone calm down. I am here to tell you that the dragon will not cause harm to any person or property. You should simply ignore her and go on about your business. She is not there to hurt anyone; she is a sorceress trying to heal from the damage that her dragon form sustained during these past years. "

Charming could not believe his eyes when several people in the room nodded and began to get up from their seats to leave the room.

"Now, wait a minute, Mr. Ward. Is this Maleficent you are talking about? I am quite familiar with her dragon form and can assure you that not causing harm is not in her nature." Charming got up with his hand at his side as if searching for the hilt of a sword. Snow and Emma stood up on each side of him; the fierce expressions on their faces signaled their readiness to protect the town.

"I know that the dragon will not cause anyone any harm because I asked her not to and my dear Charming, I do apologize. It seems that I have allowed you to labor under a great misconception." And the wizard's voice became deeper, all trace of amusement gone. The man who spoke now would brook no disobedience. The man who spoke now was the man who could destroy anyone standing in his way with a thought.

"I have not called this meeting to seek your approval, nor have I called it to ask for your permission. I called this meeting to let you know that should you see a dragon flying in the sky, please do not panic, simply continue to go about your business, or watch the dragon if you are so inclined. That is all." With that Renik stepped off the stage and walked out of the room with Marina and Lee at his side.

As people started to leave and Charming looked like he was about to run after Renik to argue with him again, Gold brushed past the Prince.

"See, now you are beginning to know him, Charming. Makes you think you may have imprisoned the wrong wizard back in our world, doesn't it?" With his trademark smirk firmly in place, Gold could not help laughing at the shocked look on the Prince's face. "Take my advice and don't try to put him behind bars. I assure you, you will not enjoy the consequences."

" And by the way, Charming, there is another matter I wish to discuss with you," Gold began with a sarcastic lilt to his voice that Charming did not think boded well for him although he could not figure out what he had done to make Gold angry. On this point he became enlightened quite quickly.

"Would you mind telling me why you discussed Red's problem with my wife?"

"Oh." Here Charming had the grace to look a little sheepish. "I needed her help tracking Red in her wolf form?"

"Ah, and were none of the royal dwarfs available for this task?" At this point Charming began to look a little pale.

"They couldn't follow o…r …oofs" He coughed into his hand.

"I am sorry, you will have to speak up dearie. What couldn't they do?" Gold took a few steps closer to Charming.

The man looked like he was gathering every bit of the considerable courage he possessed. "They couldn't follow Red in her wolf form over roofs with a tranquilizer gun in case something went wrong."

"Am I to understand that you asked my wife to follow a werewolf, who only the night before may have committed a brutal murder, over roofs?" Gold placed his cane on the ground in front of him and Charming noticed that he now held it in a white-knuckled grip.

"It was her idea, actually. She said it would be easier to shoot Red with a tranquilizer gun this way in case she attacked me when I tried to talk her down." The truth was the only answer Charming could come up with as another thought flashed through his mind. "Besides, is she?"

"Is she what?" Gold gritted through his teeth.

"Is Lee still your wife? When I talked to her she said she was staying at Granny's."

"Let's just say our situation is a little complicated at the moment. That, however, does not give you the right to ever put her life in danger again. Is that understood?"

"Fine." Charming quickly moved toward the door and almost ran out into the street.

A group of people huddled at the bottom of the steps to City Hall discussing Renik's announcement. As Gold walked past them, the sound of screeching breaks made everyone's heard turn. Lee's black SUV stood horizontally in the middle of the road. As Gold hurried over to the car he saw her get out and walk to the passenger side of the vehicle. The next thing he heard was her asking someone if they were OK. The moment he came around the car he saw a woman in a long old-style blue gown lying on the ground. His world seemed to stop and start to move again in slow motion. He watched as Lee walked over to where Cora lay and stretched out her hand to the woman. At this point he sincerely hoped that Renik had enough foresight to cloak Lee in one of his protection spells as a purple cloud of his own magic started to swirl around his hand. But before he could send a blast of power to stop whatever curse the sorceress planned to inflict on his wife, Cora reached up and gave Lee her hand. She stood up, shook off her dress, and stared at Lee for a few seconds.

"I am sorry, I am still a little new to this town, haven't quite gotten the hang of these horseless carriages I am afraid."

"Are you sure you are OK?" He heard Lee's concerned voice speak to the cruelest monster that ever lived.

"Yes, quite sure, I am fine."

"In that case I'll give you a little advice about horseless carriages. They are actually quite a bit faster and more powerful than the kind you are familiar with. So, the sidewalk is for walking," Lee pointed in the direction of the shop windows on her right, "the road is for cars, the white lines across the road are the crossing to the other side of the street." Lee then smiled at the woman in front of her.

"Yes, thank you, I'll remember." Cora actually smiled back, stared after Lee for a few more seconds as she walked back to her car, and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

Gold's phone began to beep indicating an incoming text.

"Cora and Hook are in town. His ship is in the harbor. It's cloaked and invisible. Suggest we move now."

"Will be at you house in a few minutes." Gold texted Renik back as he hurried into his shop.

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**Reviews are very much appreciated!**


	12. Chapter 12

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. If it wasn't obvious from chapter 7, this chapter should confirm that I am definitely a cat lover. **

******As always, I am keeping my fingers crossed for some more reviews. (-:)**

**Chapter 12**

It wasn't until the next day that Cora, still wearing her blue dress, walked into Gold's shop.

She greeted him with a smile, presented the magic globe that would enable him to find his son, asked him to let her and Regina live, and sealed their deal with a kiss. He hoped that would be as much as he had to endure of the woman's presence but he was wrong.

"You know, I had a little accident when I first came to town. It seems that stepping out into the road with one of those carriages…cars…nearby is rather dangerous. Still, it was quite worth it. A very interesting woman got out of her car to help me."

"What are you talking about now, Cora?" His words were a growl that would have any other person cowering in fear.

"I asked Regina all about her. Lee Gold, my, my." The silky sweet voice continued to fill the shop.

"That's none of your business, Cora."

"Oh, I beg to differ. You see I have looked at a pencil sketch of that woman's face ever since my grandmother's diary came into my possession a few years ago."

"Why did you have a sketch…."

"Still have, Rumple dear, right here with me," Out of her pocket she pulled an old piece of parchment with a picture of a woman with dark hair arranged at the nape of a long swan-like neck, her shoulders left bare and surrounded by what looked like a rich, velvet gown. One look at Rumple's face was enough to confirm all Cora needed to know.

"Oh, I know that's not a picture of Leena. That's a picture of the famous Farini Queen, Alicia. What did they call her, Dragon-rider Queen, Fire in the Sky, something like that? You see, my grandmother met her once. It appears that my grandmother fell down in the courtyard carrying sacks of flour just like I did when that sniveling wench that was Snow White's mother tripped me. Alicia and her wizard happened to be passing by. She helped my grandmother, told Renik to put her flour back in the sacks, and asked if she wanted to come to a dance that was being hosted at the King's Palace that night. She gave her a gown, had a maid fix her hair, and looked after her all evening. The next day she left her a bag of gold coins with more money that my grandmother could hope to see in five years and went back to her realm. Years later, before my father drank all of it away, my grandmother used some of that money to pay a school teacher to write all of this down for her and to buy that pencil sketch from some Farini traders passing through her village. I think it's rather ironic that my grandmother got a beautiful Queen and I got, well, you. Oh, I am not complaining mind you, but imagine my surprise when the last entry in my grandmother's diary said that the beautiful queen married a wizard. For the longest time I thought it was Renik she married until I heard quite an interesting rumor to the contrary. Fascinating story, Rumple, a story of True Love, if you know whose minds to probe for memories."

"All of this was ancient history before you were born, Cora."

"Leena isn't so ancient, is she? I would say she is very much in the present, and, as Regina tells me, so is a young lady named Belle." Her sly tone of voice made Rumplestiltskin want to strangle Cora on the spot.

"What do you want Cora?"

"Oh, Rumple, don't be like that," she actually had the nerve to brush her hands over the lapels of his suit. "I am sure Renik will happily find a good use for Leena if you don't. But then of course from what I know of the Farini Wizard, I am sure he already has." And with that she snapped her fingers and winked out of sight.

As soon as Cora left he used the globe to pinpoint the location of his son in Boston. He then took out his cell phone, dialed Lee's number, and asked her to meet him at the shop to discuss something extremely important. He made sure his voice carried enough urgency to convince her to come without asking too many questions over the phone. A few minutes later, she walked in his shop.

"What's going on Rum? What is so urgent?" She wore black yoga pants with a blue short sleeved top and for a few seconds the urge to take her in his arms overwhelmed him. As soon as she came close enough, he settled for taking her hands in his.

"Lee, I know my son's location in Boston."

"That's wonderful. Now you and Emma can go find him."

"There goes Renik being a font of information again." But at this point he didn't allow himself to feel angry or frustrated and simply focused on what he had to say next. "Lee, I want to ask you to come with me and Emma to Boston. Call it intuition or foresight or whatever, but I don't think I can do this without you." He didn't know what he counted on more, that she knew how much this meant to him after standing by him through August's deception or the fact that a Farini royal had not been born who walked away from a cry for help. Still, he breathed a sigh of relief when she nodded her head in agreement.

"If you are sure you want me there, of course I will go with you."

"Thank you, Lee you don't know how much this means to me."

"Rum, I just want to make it clear. Maleficent is recovering from surgery but when we come back she will be able to start training with a rider."

"I know Lee, I know. Let's just take this one step at a time." Her smile gave him the strength to continue, "Now, I need you to go home and pick out an object you care about a great deal…what?" He didn't understand why this particular pronouncement would cause her to start laughing.

"Oh, no, Rum. Renik and Blue started working together on a potion to restore memory as soon as Mr. Clark stepped over the town line. They don't have a potion that does that quite yet but they did come up with something to keep someone from losing their memories. Marina and I drank it just to be on the safe side."

"I already have a spell to do that. He is wasting his time with Blue."

"Oh, Renik knows about your spell. He put one of his mirrors on a tree branch by the town line just in case someone got too close and saw you testing your potion on Mr. Smee. He said it was ridic…ah…somewhat impractical." When she saw the look on his face she quickly took a few steps toward the door. "Packing, I am going to go do some packing."

It was unfortunately at this moment that Marina walked through the door carrying a big grey and white, long haired cat in her arms.

"Look who I found wondering outside on the sidewalk," she placed the cat on top of the glass counter and when both women became completely oblivious to anything but the animal and commenced to pet, kiss, and talk nonsense at the beast, Rumplestiltskin knew it would do no good to try and get the cat away from them or his glass counter. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable cloud of white smoke to announce Renik's arrival. It took all of ten seconds for him to be proven right.

"Why is my wife handling an enchan..." His voice seemed to boom around the store even before he fully materialized in their midst.

After one look at Marina and Leena, who were so absorbed by the animal they did not even acknowledge his presence, Renik glared at Rumplestiltskin and pointed his finger at the back room. If the two women were inclined to listen to the conversation going on behind the curtain they would have heard words like

"accident…he tried to steal the shawl..."

"my house is practically a second animal shelter… stray cats sleeping in my bed…that's your great-granddaughter…what were you thinking…"

"supposed to be a rat, saw Marina walk out of the shop across the street…reminded me of your infernal panther-cats…."

"I will handle this," Renik came out from behind the curtain.

"Ladies, if I could ask you to please step away from the cat for just a moment?" With surprised looks Marina and Lee stepped away from the animal. Renik then proceeded to take the cat off the counter and the next moment they saw it transformed into a very frightened Smee who took off running at top speed out the door.

"Renik, why did you turn that beautiful cat into that man?" Marina spoke quietly to her husband.

"Yes, why did you do that, Renik?" Rumplestiltskin walked toward the group gathered in his shop.

"Marina, sweetheart, you do understand that the cat was originally a man and someone who shall remain nameless," he shot another glare in Rumplestiltskin's direction, "turned him into a cat." Renik gently spoke to his wife.

"I think I am going to be sick," Marina grabbed onto her husband's arm.

"I don't feel good," Lee actually grabbed onto Renik's other arm.

In the next moment they were seated on chairs in the back room of the shop with Renik waving a bottle of smelling salts under both women's noses.

"Now listen, Marina, Lee. Think about this logically." Renik now spoke slowly and calmly. "You didn't actually touch that man. When he was a cat, he was a real cat, a beautiful cat who no one could help picking up and fussing over."

Rumplestiltskin wanted to bang his head against the wall when this explanation elicited nods of agreement from both women.

"Now, I am going to transport you back to your room at Granny's, then Marina and I will go home, and we will all try to forget this ever happened." With a last angry glare in Rumplestiltskin's direction all three people winked out of his shop.

When Belle came in a few minutes later, he blamed his excitement about finally being close to finding his son, convincing Lee to come to Boston and the entire ridiculous cat/Smee incident, for making the mistake of asking her to come with him to the town line to test his memory spell.

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**Reviews are very much appreciated!**

And they are off to Boston and a little more serious turn to the story in the next few chapters.


	13. Chapter 13

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. A special thank you goes out to Anjyu for reminding me that Neal's location was in New York and not Boston.**

******As always, I am keeping my fingers crossed for some more reviews. (-:)**

**Chapter 13**

The first thing he did after driving up to the town line was cover up the mirror Renik placed in the tree branches. Thus, allowing Hook to have all the time in the world to shoot Belle at just the right moment to make her fall over the line. When kissing her only made her more agitated, he delayed his departure to New York and worked all night on a spell to enchant the chipped cup. When that did not work, he knew that staying in Storybrooke was pointless and the only hope he had left was that Renik and Blue would soon come up with a solution. He told Renik what happened and made him promise to look after Belle. Gold was sure Renik would have done this anyway because as long as Belle was in the picture, Leena would continue to believe that Rumplestiltskin was better off with her. Then he packed Emma, Henry, and Lee in his car and drove across the town line. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when both spells worked to keep Lee and Gold's memories intact and before they knew it they were standing in the security line at the airport. That was when the tension started to take its toll. He could just hear Renik's "I told you so", when he was forced to take off the shawl to pass through the detectors. Lee turned back and grabbed his hand as Emma blocked him from the agitated people annoyed at the slow-down in the line. Lee then passed through the detectors and anxiously waited for him on the other side. After taking off the shawl he somehow knew not to take his eyes off her face until he could place it over his shoulders again. The closer he came to meeting his son, the more sure he became that the meeting would not go well. It wasn't until they were sitting in their plane seats, one row behind Emma and Henry, that Lee noticed the spots of blood on a towel wrapped around his knuckles. She turned in her seat and gently took his hand in hers.

"It's going to be OK. You don't have to go through this alone. If you let me, I'll be there for you."

"Lee," he put his other hand over hers, "aren't you the least bit afraid of flying in this metal can."

"This, nah...I've seen lots of movies about flying in airplanes. It doesn't seem so bad. I saw a movie about parachuting out of a 747 airliner once, now that looked like fun."

The laughter that built up in his chest and bubbled out of his throat was so genuine and unexpected that it truly relieved some of the tension that held his mind and body in a tight grip.

"You are amazing, you know that," were the only words he could come up with after he stopped laughing.

"Well, I certainly do aim to please, sir." Her soft chatter and smiling face kept him sane through the short flight to New York.

As expected, three rooms were ready and waiting for them when they walked in the hotel. With Henry and Emma settled together, Gold used his key to open the door to his room. Lee came in with him, dropped her bag by the door, and pulled him toward the window. They were greeted by a beautiful view of the city with lights just beginning to come on in the late afternoon.

"This is a breathtaking view."

"I agree," he answered, looking directly at her.

"Are you going to be OK staying here? He nodded and she moved toward the door and reached out her hand to pick up her luggage.

"Lee," Strapping the bag over her shoulder she turned to face him, "do you ever miss us making love?

A small smile played around the corners of her mouth but was quickly overshadowed by the sadness in her eyes.

"So much that sometimes I want to scream," she spoke words that he did not expect to hear.

"Then don't go," was his only reply.

"In a few days we will be back in Storybrooke. Everything will be the same as when we left."

"But we are not in Storybrooke. We are in a different world. In this world, in this room, we can be whatever we want."

They moved toward each other and she only had time to drop her bag before he caught her in a searing kiss. That one kiss opened the floodgates and they could not stop what happened next even if they tried. For hours they simply drowned in each other. He did not realize that one body could melt into another so that there was no way to tell or tear them apart. When their bodies did come apart from pure exhaustion, they clung to each other like two shipwrecked people clinging to a wooden plank buffeted by waves in a stormy sea.

"Do you ever think about that night in the tavern, the way I looked then," he asked her as they lay wrapped up in each other.

"I miss you like that. I want both of you." Her answer did not fail to surprise him and neither did the passionate kiss she gave him. "What I remember most about that night was how kind and …incredible you were."

"I wanted to find you. I wanted to bring you to my home and never let you go." He whispered in her hair before nuzzling her neck.

"I wanted so much to see you again," she whispered back.

They fell asleep a few hours before dawn and in the light of morning woke up to the shrill ringing of the phone.

"Henry and I are going down for some breakfast," Emma's voice blasted in Gold's ear, "you want to come. I am going to call Lee and see if she is ready to go."

"That's OK Emma. You and Henry go ahead. I will ask Lee if she wants to get something later," He was a little surprised that he had the presence of mind to get Emma off both of their trails. Lee stirred next to him and he was relieved when she smiled and reached up to wind her hands about his neck. She saw that the possibility of meeting his son was already beginning to weigh on his mind.

"Hey," she cupped his face in her hands, "together, we'll do this together, OK."

"I love you, Lee," were the only words he could think of in that moment.

"I love you too," he heard her words as she gently slipped out of his arms.

So when they rang Neal's doorbell and he jumped down the fire escape and started to run, it was both Emma and Lee who caught him together. After a few seconds of hearing them talk or, in this case, hearing Emma yell, she began to understand that these two somehow knew each other. When Neal asked who Lee was, she did not bother to correct Emma's sharp "she is your stepmother" response. Something told her not to let Rumplestiltskin's son out of her site so she waited outside the bar while the two yelled at each other some more. It wasn't until Emma came out and Lee saw Neal walking away from the bar, that she started asking questions of her own.

"Hey, what's going on, where is he going?" She asked Emma already starting to walk after Neal's departing back.

"Let me explain," were the only words Emma was able to get out before Lee took off running after Neal again.

At that point, several things happened very fast.

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**Reviews are very much appreciated!**


	14. Chapter 14

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. **

******I am curious if anyone can guess from which movie some content in this chapter is taken. Hint: It's a movie from 2012 in which the actor who plays Neal had a small supporting role. (I don't own any characters from this movie either)**

******As always, I am keeping my fingers crossed for some more reviews. (-:)**

**Chapter 14**

A silver BMW skidded to a halt in front on Neal, a large man leaped out, and almost threw him in the back seat. As the car took off again with tires squealing, a nondescript sedan came to a stop by Lee's side. A man she knew well from the fights in her karate studio leaned over to the passenger side window.

"If you want your boy back you better get in now," Lee recognized the man she knew only as Derek, one of the most lethal fighters she had ever come across. Without a second thought she jumped into the car. By the time Emma reached them, they had already driven off in pursuit.

"Derek, what are you doing here?" Lee turned to the driver.

"I could ask you the same thing but we don't have much time so I'll give you a general outline. Your boy, Neal, got himself involved with some pretty nasty people. People who stepped on some pretty big toes when they started working this territory. So now the two in that car with Neal have a contract out on them and I am working to collect the payment."

She knew he was one of the most dangerous people she had ever met. The best she could do when they fought together was to have a tie called. The rock hard muscles hidden beneath his shirt were nothing compared to the look in his eyes that long ago told her what he was capable of. The man was an expert mercenary soldier who knew how to kill quickly and efficiently.

"There is a Glock under the seat. Take it, you'll need it." Lee pulled out the sleek, silver weapon and held it. She was not proud of the fact that she liked the way the gun fit in her hand, the way her fingers slid over the surface gliding smoothly into every curve and crevice. The feeling was not unlike one she came to know while holding a sword in the old world.

"You better finish making love to that thing before we get there." Derek's voice pulled her away from admiring the weapon. "Now, the two in there may not go down easy but don't have any doubt that they will go down. Stay behind me and you should be all right. These boys aren't joking in there. The younger one is an expert shooter and I mean military weapons, machine guns, rifles, that type of thing. If things start to get rough, you shoot and you shoot to kill. No trick shots, no second thoughts, got it? I can trust you not to go squeamish on me, right? "

"I'll try not to get the vapors and faint Derek, thanks for the vote of confidence." Lee knew that this was the response he expected from her. With a smirk he slowed the car and brought it to a stop in what looked like an abandoned parking lot.

"We are stopping here?"

"Oh, yeah, I know where these boys hang out."

"Mind telling me what they've done?"

"They decided to move in and start underbidding building contracts. Well, the people they were taking the contracts away from are not the kind of people you want to cross. Oh, don't worry", he saw the surprised look she gave him, "these boys are far from innocent. They were warned and they still decided to sniper shoot five people to cover up the murder of one woman who refused to sell them her construction company and then pinned the whole thing on some guy they knew."

When they entered some sort of underground tunnel, Derek signaled for Lee to be quiet. They stepped as softly and as quickly as they could until they heard voices ahead of them.

"I had to make a decision," they heard Neal say.

"It was the wrong one," the older of the two men replied.

"Hey, wait a minute, we can work this out." This time there was raw fear and desperation in Neal's voice. The older man sat in a chair. The younger of the two stood facing Neal with a machine gun cradled in his arms.

Derek lifted his weapon, trying for a clean, quick shot. Lee stood by his side, weapon raised in her hands. And then everything seemed to start moving in slow motion. The two men must have heard a noise because they turned toward Derek. The older man reached down for the rifle lying by his side and the younger one reached for his own weapon. Lee saw the motion of his hands with an expert eye of someone used to watching her opponent and predicting where their sword would swing next. She knew without a doubt that the man planned to release a shower of bullets that would kill her, Derek, and Neal in a matter of seconds. Their weapons fired almost at the same time. Derek shot the older man in the chest and her bullet left a bleeding hole in the younger man's forehead. She saw Neal fall and roll on the ground to get away from the shooting. She didn't know she still held the gun in her hand until Derek gently touched her arm.

"Hey there, are you OK. That was a great job." She turned to face him even as her eyes began to glaze over.

"Ok, Ok," He gently sat her down with her back propped up against a wall. "I know your first one can be difficult but you've got to listen to me now," Derek's voice seemed like it was coming from a distance. "I told you there was a contract out on both of these men. One way or another they were going to end up dead. I didn't come here for half that contract pay."

When she sensed Neal come over and kneel down beside her, her eyes started to regain focus.

"Now," Derek continued speaking, "here is the deal. Normally, I would clean up all the loose ends," his cold, pale eyes looked directly at Neal, "sort of like a bonus to the people I work for. But seeing as how you probably want your boy alive, I'll let him leave with you instead of offering you part of the contract money."

Lee got up and Neal stood up with her.

"Thank you, Derek," She handed the gun back to him and watched him wipe the finger prints off every inch of the weapon.

"One more thing," Derek called out after them. "Get your boy out of town for a while Lee, just until everything quiets down. Sorry I can't offer you a ride back but I got some cleaning up to do and some phone calls to make."

"Will do", were her last words to Derek as she and Neal started to walk back the way they had come.


	15. Chapter 15

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. **

**Chapter 15**

Once Lee and Neal walked out into daylight again, they realized they would have to walk to the subway and quickly set off to put as much distance as possible between them and the tunnel. As they walked through a small park, for the first time, Neal noticed that Lee was almost as shaken up as he was. He led her to a bench and gently placed his hand on her arm.

"Are you OK?" He noticed that her body was shaking.

"Yeah," She ran her hand through her long hair, "I'll be fine. How about you?"

"I am OK. Listen," With elbows on his knees, Neal put his head in his hands and looked down at the ground, "I can't repay you for what you did back there. I am sorry that had to happen."

"Ok, ah…contrary to popular belief that was not the first time I killed someone, all right. I was a fighter-for-hire in the old world. I can handle this."

"So, your first time in this world then, first time with a gun?"

"Not the first time shooting someone, just the first time they ended up dead. Look, don't worry about me all right, and, by the way, you can repay me, you know. Come back to Storybrooke with us and give your father a chance."

"Lee, I admit when I walked out of that bar I thought about running but only for a minute. Then, I realized that Emma made a deal with him and if I didn't go back, she couldn't meet her end of the bargain. I don't know why you are together or if you knew each other in the old world but I've seen what he does to people who break deals with him. The best advice I can give you is to get as far away from him as you can the first chance you get."

"You really think it's that simple don't you? By the way, do you know what the people you were involved with did?"

"After they did it, yes. I told them I wanted out and this was the result."

"Well, I happen to know someone who knows a little about magic and he told me that when magic like your father's takes over a person it doesn't kill their body or their soul. It doesn't have the power to kill a soul and besides that the magic needs the host to survive. So the father you knew all those years ago is still in there. Not always in control, maybe not even in control most of the time, but still there. The fact that he retained as much of his humanity as he has is a tribute to how strong and hard he fought that curse every day for centuries. Neal, what he was fighting so hard for, was you. So, yes, if you want to pay me back for saving your life, I am asking you to come to Storybrooke, especially since you have to get out of town anyway, and give him a chance."

"Let's get back and then will see, OK."

An hour later they walked into Neal's apartment to find Gold yelling angrily at Emma who stood by the window holding a dream-catcher in her hands.

"Where were you?" were the first words Gold and Emma threw at them as they entered.

"I had a disagreement with some people and Lee and a friend of hers helped me deal with it. Now, I want to know why you are yelling at Emma?"

The next hour of non-stop revelations about Neal and Emma's past, Henry being Neal's son, and Neal finally agreeing to talk to his father, did not seem real to Lee. She sat on the couch, a little away from everyone, and although she heard the words, making sense of them would come later. The sound of Emma's cell phone finally brought her out of her haze.

"Gold, you need to hear this", she heard Emma saying, "Snow and Charming are on the phone. Cora is looking for your dagger. You better tell them where it is so they can get to it before Cora does."

"Oh, yes," no one could mistake the sarcasm in Gold's voice, "I should tell them where the dagger is located because Cora could never overpower Snow and Charming, could she?"

"Gold, now is not the time," Emma tried again.

"Never mind the dagger. It's safe and even I don't know where it is right now. Cora can look all she wants, she won't find it."

"You gave it to Renik before we left didn't you?" were the first words anyone heard Lee speak in a long time.

"Yes," Gold noticed the quick, satisfied nod of her head and knew that Lee had not escaped the blind faith that all Farini people seemed to have in that wizard.

"Look, we need to get an early start and head back tomorrow," Emma put the cell phone back in her pocket.

"I am going back with you," Gold turned to Neal in surprise, "to be with Henry." Neal added quickly.

"Why don't you call and get a plane ticket on our flight back. Then, you can call the hotel we are staying at and see if there are any rooms available? You could stay there tonight and get an early start with us in the morning." Lee's mind seemed to be clearing.

"That's a good idea," both Emma and Gold were surprised to hear Neal agree but when he came back into the room after making the phone calls he looked disappointed.

"I was able to get the plane ticket but the hotel didn't have any vacancies."

"That's OK. You can stay in my room. I don't really need it." Was Lee's solution to the problem and even Emma had the sense to bundle Henry out the door in front of her without making a single comment.

When they got to the hotel room that evening, Lee and Rumplestiltskin ordered room service, showered while they waited for the food to be delivered, and then fell into bed exhausted from the day's emotional rollercoaster. He held her in his arms and felt the slight tremble in her body, but was simply too exhausted to ask and assumed the past few hours affected her as much as they did him. Only once, when they woke up during the night, did they seek comfort in one another and once again fell asleep wrapped up together almost immediately. In the morning they woke up in each other's arms and for a moment the thought of never waking up with Lee by his side again made Rumplestiltskin's breath catch in his throat. He knew then that he would never stop fighting for her but the knowledge that it may not be enough squeezed a cold hand around his heart.

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The minute their car drove up to Granny's to drop off Lee and rent a room for Neal, Renik met them on the front porch. Rumplestiltskin introduced the two men.

"Bae this is Renik, he runs the vet clinic in town and he is also a wizard", Renik and Neal shook hands.

"There are a few things we need to talk about" Renik eyes glanced from Rumplestiltskin to Lee.

"I'll go get settled in my room," Neal announced and Emma was about to go with him.

"You might want to stay for a minute too, Ms. Swan." When Bae and Henry walked off to the Inn, Renik threw a glance at Rumplestiltskin.

"Spit it out Renik, what's going on," Rumplestiltskin glared at the other wizard.

"We've had a busy few days in this town, I am afraid. I hid the box with your dagger in Regina's vault."

"What?" Rumplestiltskin looked ready to strangle the man in front of him.

"I thought it was the last place Cora and Regina would look." Renik shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

"Are you saying that Cora has the dagger?" Emma ran her hands through her hair.

"No, Ms. Swan, I am saying Cora is dead." Emma only stared at the wizard.

"When she found the box with the dagger inside, Cora tried to open it. She must have thought my magic was weaker in this world and she could break through my spell if she directed enough of her own magic into mine. It was…

"…suicide" Rumplestiltskin finished the wizard's thought.

"Yes, I am afraid so," Renik nodded and sat down on the bench standing near the front door of the Inn.

"Ok, that's one less problem we have to worry about, is there anything else?" Rumplestiltskin now seemed anxious to leave.

"I am afraid so. Regina gave Belle false memories."

"I asked you to protect her. How could you let that happen?" Rumplestiltskin's voice now seemed defeated. He looked like a man whose emotions had taken one too many onslaughts.

"Yes, and I truly apologize. My spell was designed to protect from physical harm. Regina did not hurt or touch Belle in any way. She simply gave her a matchbook from the Rabbit Hole to hold and directed the magic into that object."

"What about the potion to restore memory that you and Blue were working on," Lee sat down on the bench next to Renik.

"We are very close but it will take a few more days to finish. We just have not had time to work on it as much as we hoped." As Renik turned to look at Lee, a concerned look filled his eyes.

"I have to go and help Belle before she hurts herself," Rumplestiltskin turned to Lee. "I am sorry, Lee. If you were in my place, you know you would do the same." He seemed to be pleading with her to understand.

"Of course, you do. Go, make sure she is OK," and once again Rumplestiltskin was glad that a Farini royal had not been born who could refuse a cry for help.

As Rumplestiltskin drove off, Renik turned and placed his hands on Lee's shoulders.

"Did something happen in New York, Lee? You look white as a ghost."

"I shot and killed a man to save Neal's life," Farini royals did not keep secrets from their wizard.

Renik just looked at the woman next to him for few moments trying to wrap his mind around her words and come up with words of his own.

"I know it's difficult, Lee, but you need to understand that what happened in New York is irrelevant to what you have to do here and now," he gently messaged her hands in his own, " speaking of which, I have some wonderful news for you, my dear. Let me transport you to my house and Marina will fill you in, get you something to eat, and have you rest for a while after your trip." At this point Lee was simply too tired and emotionally wrung out to argue.

As soon as she disappeared from the porch, her place was taken by the Blue Fairy, who materialized in a cloud of blue smoke.

"What is going on Renik?" Blue's tone was accusatory as she looked at the wizard, "what's all this about your spell not working to protect Belle. We all know your spells don't work only when you don't want them to work. Now, you are asking me not to tell anyone that our memory potion is ready."

"My dear Blue, please, do not worry so much," Renik placated the fairy, "in a few days we will have both Belle and Mr. Clark drink our potion and restore their memories."

"Why in a few days?" Blue asked the obvious question.

"Because a few days will give me another chance to secure what's mine once and for all," and the look in the eyes of the man who spoke to her now made even the thought of arguing fly out of Blue's mind.


	16. Chapter 16

******I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

******Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. I am glad to see the story is getting quite a few hits even the day after a new chapter is published. Keeping my fingers crossed for some more reviews!**

**Chapter 16**

The rest of the day found Rumplestiltskin explaining to Charming that Belle/Lacey was now a scantily clad bar fly drinking her life away at the Rabbit Hole, asking Charming to help him talk to Lacey, and asking to take Lacey out to dinner at Granny's the next day. The only interruption came when Rumplestiltskin's door bell rang and he found King Robert, better known to him as Cinderella's father-in-law, on his doorstep.

"I am sorry to bother you Rumplestiltskin but I am here to ask if you have any spells to restore memory. I'll make whatever kind of deal you want?"

"And why would you need a memory spell, dearie? Rumplestiltskin's voice fell into his usual sing-song tone when a deal was in the making.

"Regina gave Belle false memories. Look, Belle was a guest at my castle for a while in the old world. We…I loved her", the King's eyes looked down at the floor, "Since the curse broke, we started talking again. I came to visit her at the hospital after she was shot, she didn't remember me but she talked to me… Now she won't even see me and I am afraid she will do something she regrets or gets herself hurt. I'll do anything to help her. I..."

"You love her?" Rumplestiltskin could not deny the feelings of possessive jealousy that bubbled up inside him. He forced himself to fight them down.

"Yes, but look, if you love her and you can restore her memory, I'll stay out of your way, just please help her."

For the first time Rumplestiltskin considered the possibility that this man might be worthy of Belle.

"Don't worry about it dearie. Renik and Blue are working on a potion to restore memory and in the mean time, I will look after Belle. Now, what you have to worry about is what happens after her memory is restored." Fear flitted through the king's eyes but to his credit he stood his ground and when he looked Rumplestiltskin in the eye again stubbornness had replaced fear.

"What I mean, dearie, is, you don't want to know what I will turn you into if you ever hurt Belle in any way." For a few moments, the two men looked at each other in silence. Then, understanding dawned in the king's eyes and a smile lit up his face.

"You don't have to worry about that, Rumplestiltskin. You never have to worry about that." And with that King Robert grabbed Rumplestiltskin's hand, shook it in his own, and almost skipped down the steps to the street.

Messaging his hand, Rumplestiltskin slammed the door closed behind the King's departing back.

The next day Rumplestiltskin opened his shop not so much to complete any pressing work but to take his mind off worrying about his dinner date with Lacey. He wanted everything to go well enough so that Lacey would spend the next few days in his company instead of getting into trouble at the Rabbit Hole. Since he genuinely cared about Belle, he wasn't too worried about pretending to be romantically interested in Lacey since that personality would be gone as soon as Renik finished developing the potion that would restore Belle's memories.

When Rumplestiltskin first felt the tingling in the air he assumed he was imagining it due to the tension gripping his body. However, when the feeling only proceeded to become stronger, he quickly realized that the vibration was due to a large expansion of magic. He determined that the source of the magic originated in the woods at the edge of town and transported himself there to try and determine what was happening. He found himself standing on the edge of a clearing but the sight that met his eyes made his knees turn to water and he flung out a hand to steady himself on the nearest tree trunk.

At first, all he saw was what looked like a black hill on the opposite edge of the clearing. However, when fiery eyes flashed into his own, he immediately recognized the creature that was Maleficent in her dragon form. At that moment, Rumplestiltskin gained a new appreciation of Charming's bravery when he agreed to fight this creature with just a sword to place the true love potion in the belly of the beast.

Renik and Marina stood a few feet in front of him and seemed to be watching the beast. A white string of smoke stretched like a leash from Renik's hand to the dragon's chest. Since Rumplestiltskin often collected rent at Storybrooke Stables, he was familiar with trainers using lunge lines to work and school their horses. This was exactly what Renik seemed to be doing with the dragon. However, all thoughts flew out of his mind, when he noticed that Renik and Marina's attention was riveted not only on the dragon but also on the woman steadily walking toward it. He wanted to scream at Lee to come back, that this dragon knew only how to kill, and that she was walking toward death. At the same time he knew that anything he said would be useless. If the look on her face was anything to go by, nothing existed except the creature in front of her and her need to reach it.

The flaming eyes in the black body stared at the woman. The size of the monstrosity made her look small and insignificant. Yet, she strode on. She was now close enough to the creature that all it had to do was stretch out its neck to kill her with one snap of its jaws. Purple smoke writhed around Rumplestiltskin's hands as he gathered all the magic he could summon to protect her from the beast but the fact that Renik was using magic to exercise control over the dragon frightened him more. If Renik thought Lee needed protection, he had no idea how much of Maleficent's mind remained in control when she took her dragon form.

They watched as Lee went down on one knee in front of the creature and bowed her head in a knight's gesture of fealty. The creature reared as it spread its wings and let out a roar, yet it did not lunge toward the woman before it. Lee looked up at the monster but remained in the same posture with one knee bent on the ground. The dragon came back down on all four of its legs and sniffed the air. It took a few steps to the side then half turned and looked at the woman over its shoulder. It seemed to be preparing itself for something, something it did not particularly want to do. It shook its head from side to side and then did the same with its body, making the wings fan out on its sides. It took a step toward the woman, stretched out its neck and sniffed her face. Leena closed her eyes preparing for the next second that would decide her fate.

Then, the dragon lay its head on the ground with wings spread out and one of its legs partly stretched out. He saw her rise and walk toward the monster, step up onto the outstretched leg, hold on to a ridge protruding from its back, and propel herself into what looked like a tiny saddle. She then tightened a belt around her waist and petted the dragon's back. In the next moment the dragon stretched its head up, beat its wings, and rose off the ground.

They seemed to be practicing some sort of hand signals because the dragon flew in one direction, turned to the left, then turned to the right and for a few seconds hovered in the air. They did not seem to be performing any difficult flight maneuvers and Rumplestiltskin could almost start breathing again if he could only forget that woman and dragon were flying in the sky above the tops of pine trees. When they finally came down to the ground on the same spot where they started, Rumplestiltskin did not know if he had stood there for minutes or hours.

The dragon stretched its leg out once again allowing Lee to jump off its back and onto the ground. She then turned back toward the beast and pressed her entire body to its chest with her arms flung out at the side. After a few seconds she took a small step back and gently rubbed the dragon's hide as if she was petting a cat. Renik and Marina ran over to where she was standing and Rumplestiltskin watched as Marina curtsied and Renik bent down at the waist in front of dragon and rider.

"No, stop that", he heard her say, "practicing a few moves with a magical leash attached does not a dragon-rider make. Let's see how I do in a few real battles and then we'll talk."

At that point, Maleficent decided to forsake her dragon form for the more human variety and instead of a dragon a tall, blond woman joined the group in front of him. Leena seemed startled at the change but immediately reached out to put her hand on Maleficent's arm.

"Thank you. Thank you for showing me how to fly," Leena's eyes glistened with tears but the expression on her face was one of absolute joy.

"We'll make a dragon-rider out of you yet," Maleficent actually smiled at Leena, "if we are done for today, I'd like to go home and rest."

"Thank you, Maleficent," now Renik was smiling at the sorceress, "we are done for today. We'll practice again at the same time tomorrow. I'll transport you and Leena home too," he turned to Marina, "please make sure they eat and rest."

"Will do," Marina placed a quick kiss on her husband's lips and the three women disappeared from the field.

"Well, well, Rumplestiltskin," Renik started walking toward the other wizard, "I thought we had an audience for our little practice session."

"Oh, yes, I saw the leash you had on Maleficent. Still don't trust her not to tear Lee apart, do you?"

"She won't tear Lee apart. If she does, she knows I will be forced to recreate the moment when Prince Phillip shot that arrow inch thick in fairy dust at her dragon form."

"Ah, so that's the favor she owes you. After you so graciously helped her survive, she turned the prince into a yaoguai, you know."

"Yes, he lived as yaoguai for all of two weeks in Cinderella and Thomas' kingdom before Belle used fairy dust to turn him back into a prince. Never mind any of that now though. I do hope that seeing Leena on that dragon makes you realize once and for all that a dragon-rider was what she was born to be." When Rumplestilskin didn't speak, he continued, "I am sorry you didn't listen but I warned you before that what is mine will always come back to me. The Farini ruling triumvirate, Wizard, Monarch, and Dragon-rider, is now complete. I am sorry, I tried to warn you, but there is no place or need for you in her life here or in the old world, not anymore."

"I am sure you will forgive me if I don't take you at your word before I hear the same sentiment from Lee."

"As you wish," With a polite bow toward Rumplestiltskin, Renik disappeared from the field.


	17. Chapter 17

**I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. **

**Not sure why the story is getting more hits than ever, even in the middle chapters, but not many reviews at all. (-:) R****eviews are always very much appreciated.**

**Chapter 17**

When Gold finally took Lacey out to dinner, he was not only worried about keeping an eye on her and restoring her memories. From the passion he saw in Lee's eyes as she interacted with Maleficent's dragon form, he was quite certain that she now was lost to him. Not surprisingly, the dinner at Granny's was a disaster. Finding Lacey in the back alley with Keith Nottingham was the last straw to break the flood of anger that had been building up for days. Lacey's awed, "You are as dark as people say", only added fuel to his rage and all that rage was now directed at the helpless man in front of him.

"Darker dearie, much darker," were the last words Rumplestilskin spoke before taking his cane and continuing to beat the man who had already fallen down on the ground by the side of a parked car.

Only when he felt the cane twist and slide out of his grip did he realize that Lee had come up behind him. He straightened and noticed that she positioned herself in front of the injured man and stretched out her arm to hand the cane back to him.

"That's enough. I'll handle it from here." He was surprised that her voice was calm and quiet and her eyes held only sadness and not a trace of fear.

"Lee, this isn't any of your business." The anger continued to grip his mind and through the haze of darkness he realized that she knew she wasn't talking to Gold, she knew that it was the Dark One she faced.

"I could make it Emma's and Charming's business but I don't think you want that?"

"Get out of my way, dearie" Even he did not recognize the growl that started somewhere deep in his throat.

"I am not going to move, Rum. If you want to get to him, you will have to go through me." And something in her tone of voice told the Dark One that it would not be as easy as he thought to go through her. He waved his hand in a small circle to feel for any enchantments and immediately recognized the energy signatures of some of Renik's finest protection spells.

"I see Renik is making sure his puppets are safe and ready to dance to his bidding," At this point he wanted to lash out and hurt her the same way he hurt the man lying in a heap on the sidewalk.

"You have company. It's not polite to keep a lady waiting. Go on with your evening, I'll take care of this from here," And as the anger and darkness began to loosen its grip on his mind he realized that generations of Farini honor and law would no more allow her to abandon this man than they would allow her to run from battling an ogre. He knew that she would die protecting this man no matter how worthless he may be. He knew in that moment that with all the magic at his disposal he was still a poor spinner and in front of him stood a descendant of kings and this more than anything else made him turn away and take a step back toward Lacey.

A thin, almost invisible column of white smoke transformed into a slightly disheveled Renik by Lee's side.

"I guess I don't have to ask whose handy-work this is", he barely gave either one of them a glance before bending down by the injured man.

"Lee, I need your help," At the sound of his command she finally broke eye contact with Rumplestilskin and bent down by Renik's side. Even Lacey didn't speak as she latched on to Rumplestiltskin's arm and only the fading sound of her heels on the pavement gave any indication that the two of them had walked away.

"I need you to hold his hand and try to keep him talking while I see what needs to be healed." Lee watched as a soft white mist enveloped the man. "Think of that as a magical blanket that's keeping him warm. I want him to see the magic healing him to try and prevent his mind from sending his body into shock. "

The man groaned and briefly opened his eyes.

"It's OK, it's OK, look at me", Lee's voice was soothing and calm as she started to massage the man's hand in her own. "You are going to be OK, my wizard is going to heal you." She saw Renik slide his hands over the man's head and was surprised when his hands lingered over the man's cheeks and chin because she didn't see any injuries on the outside of the man's face.

"Damn it, keep him conscious Lee, he won't be able to answer since he happens to be missing a tongue, but you just keep talking." The surprised look she gave Renik vanished as she began to gently massage the back of the man's head where Renik's hands had already probed and finished the job.

"Look, you see this blanket," she raised his head just a little so he could see the mist like substance wrapped around his body, "that's my wizard's magic keeping you warm. Renik already healed most of your injuries, just a little more and you'll be as good as new." She saw Renik began to slide his hands further down the man's body.

"Thank you", for the first time she heard the man speak. A smile lit up her eyes, prompting the man to whisper a quiet "Who are you?"

"My name is Lee and this is the Wizard Renik. Can you tell me your name?"

"Keith, Keith Nottingham" and this time the man's voice seemed stronger.

"Ok, that should take care of the injuries." Renik spoke to the man for the first time. "Now, very slowly, try to sit up a little."

The man propped himself up against the side of car by which he fell.

"Perhaps a memory wipe is in order?" Lee spoke quietly to Renik.

"No, please, I'll be OK," The man tugged on Renik's sleeve and whispered something in his ear.

"But you've been through such a traumatic experience, are you sure you want to remember?" Lee was surprised at the man's words.

"Now, now," and she didn't understand the look in Renik's eyes as he bent over the man, "that's all right. If Mr. Nottingham should feel any post-traumatic effects, he can always get in touch with me and we'll decide what to do about his memory at that time."

"You have anyone at home who can look after you tonight," Renik began to make plans for transporting the man home.

"My roommate, he should be home by now."

"All right, tell me where you live," A second after the man finished speaking his address all three were transported inside the apartment. Another man in pajamas and bathrobe came out into the living room where they were standing.

"Take care of this man tonight and take him to the hospital if he feels ill. Then call me." Renik handed the bewildered man a business card with the vet clinic and his cell phone numbers on it, waved his hand, and transported himself and Leena to her car.

"Now, you can drive me home and tell me what happened. Then, Marina will put you up for the night at our place in case Rumplestiltskin decides to come after you. " The only response Lee made to that statement was to roll her eyes. "That and we also need to talk. Tonight you saw what he was capable of. I am sorry Lee but if you insist on taking him to the old world with us, this kind of thing is not going to stop. Some of these little incidents we'll be able to take care of like we did tonight but there will be others for which we will not be there. You have to understand what you are getting yourself into if you stay with him."

"I am not with him, Ren, and he is not with me. He will understand that Belle is better for him and stay here with her. No one is talking about him going back to the old-world with us." Lee ran her hand through her hair as she clipped on her seat belt.

A deep sigh escaped Renik at the misery in her voice, "If only it were that easy", he mumbled under his breath but Lee already started to pull away from the curb with her head turned away from him as one lone tear escaped and slid down her cheek.


	18. Chapter 18

**I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. **

**Chapter 18**

The next day everything continued to go from bad to worse. Not only was Dr. Whale ogling Lacey as she and Rumplestiltskin passed him on the street, Neal had to hear the yelling and come out of his hotel room just as Rumplestiltskin was forcing Whale to kiss his shoe. He let Whale get up off the ground and walk away and told Lacey to wait for him in the shop.

"Is this supposed to be you changing?" Neal scoffed when they were finally standing alone.

"Bae, you don't understand," Rumplestiltskin tried to reach out to his son.

"I understand plenty. You say you did all this for me and then you disappear. You haven't changed."

"And yet you are still here," Rumplestiltskin tried to find some common ground with his son.

"For Henry, I am here for Henry. Why don't you just do us a favor and stay away from us."

"And exactly who is us, Bae? Is that you, Henry, and Emma or is it someone else you are thinking of?" Rumplestiltskin's voice was now becoming sarcastic.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you and Lee at the diner the other day. Thick as thieves you were, having lunch together and carrying on what seemed to be a pretty intense conversation."

"You still don't know do you? She still hasn't told you?" Neal turned and started to walk back to his room.

"Bae, please, tell me what?" Rumplestiltskin called after him.

Neal turned and took a few steps back toward his father. He looked like he was debating what he should and shouldn't say.

"Back in Boston, Lee shot and killed a man who was a second away from killing me. She saved my life." All color drained from Rumplestiltskin's face. He looked like a man who lost the strength to stand and could faint at any second. He placed all his weight on the cane in front of him to keep from falling.

"I am sorry, but it's the truth. That's what happened. Oh, yeah, and no matter how many times I told her she would be better off staying as far away from you as possible, she keeps asking me to give you another chance and telling me not to judge Belle by what I see of Lacey. She kept saying how much I'd like her if I knew the real Belle."

"I am sorry Bae, I didn't know", Rumplestiltskin was finally able to speak a few words.

"She told me she was going back to the old world as soon as her wizard friend found a way to get them there. I can't believe you don't understand that Lee is the best thing that's ever happened to you," Neal pointed his hand in the direction of the diner indicating the last place he saw the woman they were discussing, "and there you are not even trying to fight for her. Look, just forget it, OK," Neal shook his head and stepped away again, "what's the point." This time he turned and walked away leaving Rumplestiltskin standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

It was later that same day that Grumpy ran into the pawn shop with Clark in tow, yelling about how Clark was now Sneezy once again and carrying the memory potion that Blue gave him.

As soon as Belle's memories returned she threw her arms around Rumplestiltskin.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for making me remember."

"It wasn't my spell that got you back but I am so glad you are?" He smiled as he once again looked into Belle's beautiful blue eyes that had no trace of Lacey left.

"Belle," his hand gently brushed the hair on the side of her face, "we need to talk but first there is something I want to show you."

He locked the door behind them as they came out of the shop and turned to walk toward the old library building. When they reached the door, Rumplestiltksin reached into his pocket and gave Belle a key. When she opened the door and saw the myriad of book shelves in the room, not even the musty smell or the blanket of dust on every surface could keep the awe out of her eyes.

"This is wonderful." She turned in a circle in the middle of the room.

"A while ago I asked the town council to open the library again and every library needs a librarian. The job comes with a caretaker's apartment on the second floor and it's been cleaned and fixed up. I set up a bank account in your name to make sure you have everything you need that the librarian's salary will not cover. Whatever else you want or need, all you have to do is tell me."

"Thank you, Rumple," she whispered softly. As she looked up into his eyes she knew, knew there was something else he had not told her and decided that if he wanted to be honest with her now, she owed him the same in return.

Standing in the middle of the library, he took Belle's hands in his own and gathered all his strength and courage. He told her about his son, his cowardice when faced with losing his power, discovering the curse that brought them to this world, and the need to bring magic to Storybrooke in order to find his son.

"I wanted to tell you everything, Belle, but there are some things I needed you to see for yourself. I needed you to see what I always knew, that you would keep trying to change me and keep getting hurt every time you realized I couldn't change. I needed you to understand that our relationship couldn't make either of us happy. I am sorry, Belle, I am so sorry, but you deserve so much more." She knew he was right, knew that what they had could never work. She nodded and smiled sadly.

"You are going to ask Lee to stay with you." It was a statement more than a question.

"Yes, I am going to try to find a way to keep her in my life," but in his eyes she saw only hopelessness and pain.

"Is that the reason true love's kiss didn't break your curse back in our world? Did a part of your heart belong to her even back then?"

"I believe so Belle and that's why I owe you the truth now. You see, even if Lee does not want to be with me, you deserve someone who loves you and only you with all his heart. Someone like you should never settle for anything less."

She came close, took his hands in hers, and he saw tears shining in her eyes.

"Don't sell yourself short. She is lucky to have your love and you are not that easy to let go. Goodbye Rumple."

His own eyes were moist as he gently raised her hands to brush against his lips.

"Goodbye, Belle."

"I am going to go and see my father. He is probably worried sick," Rumplestiltksin watched after her as she walked out the door and across the street. As she turned around the corner Rumplestiltksin saw King Robert pushing his granddaughter, Alexandra, in her stroller, and almost yelled for Belle to watch out before she barreled into the man. Instead, he saw Robert step in front of the stroller, open his arms, and lift Belle off the ground as he caught her in a bear hug. He saw Belle lift her hands to the man's face as smiles lit up in their eyes and they walked out of sight together.


	19. Chapter 19

**I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story. **

**Chapter 19**

The small town gossip mill started to work overtime as soon as someone saw Belle kiss King Robert on the street outside her father's florist shop and it did not take long before Marina found Belle and quickly learned that the she and Robert were now together. When Marina came into the pawn shop a few hours after his talk at the library with Belle, Rumplestilkin did not think he needed the power of foresight to know what his granddaughter wanted to discuss. He should have known that Marina would never fail to surprise him.

"I just talked to Belle, grandfather", the questioning tone in her voice told Rumplestilkin that he was in for a long conversation, "were you aware that she and King Robert are now an official couple?"

"I know that those two are together, Marina. Now if that's all you wanted to talk about I have a lot of work to do in the back so if you will excuse me…."

"Not even close," She cut him off with a Cheshire cat smile on her face but there was no mistaking the fact that the woman who spoke to him now was not a loving granddaughter but the Queen and rightful heir to the Farini throne, "considering how miserable both you and Lee have been since this curse broke, it was not exactly a surprise to anyone that you decided to let Belle go to find her own true love." Rumplestilkin rolled his eyes and did not even bother to respond.

"No, grandfather, I am here to ask you about something I don't know. I'll even make you a deal. If you tell me what I want to know, I will tell you some things you might be interested in."

But after one look from Rumplestilkin at her mention of a deal she waved her hand in dismissal.

"All right, all right, I'll tell you anyway but I do want to know about this."

"If only to make you go away and stop harassing me, what do you want to talk about?"

"I want to know why Renik allowed you to marry Queen Alicia all those years ago?"

All strength seemed to seep out of Rumplestilkin's body as he slumped into a chair behind a small table, "Marina,that is ancient history. Why would you want to know about that?"

"I am the Queen of the Farini and I am going back to our old world to rebuild a new empire. Why would anyone respect a Queen who is kept in the dark about the history of her own family?"

"Renik is always full of information. I am surprised he hasn't already told you."

"I asked him, of course, but he said it was not entirely his story to tell and told me to ask you."

"He tells anyone who cares to listen everything else about my life. I am shocked there is one thing he actually decided not to announce from the top of the clock tower."

"Please, grandfather, tell me", she pulled up a chair beside his and held his hand in her own.

"I'll tell you the shortest possible version of the story," a heavy sighed escaped from his chest as Rumplestilkin started to speak.

"Over a hundred years ago, Alicia and I met at King Midas' court where we both attended a ball. You could say that it was love at first site for me and amazingly enough also for her. However, by that time she had already asked the commander general of her army to marry her and share the rule of the Farini throne."

"All that time ago, that would have been Danius, right?" Marina tried to make sure she understood what Rumplestilkin was telling her.

"Yes, the most decorated and respected warrior of the Farini people. The one Alicia always said was born to be the king of the Farini."

"Was she in love with him?" Marina now had a confused look on her face.

"She respected him, she admired him, she aspired to be like him. One hero's respect for another was all they shared."

"So, what happened?"

"A few months passed and she did not think that she could go back on her word to Danius. She was going to go through with the marriage. We were so caught up in our feelings for each other and so devastated about having to part, neither one of us thought to ask the most obvious question."

"Why Renik allowed the two of you to meet in the first place?" Marina whispered as if talking to herself.

"Yes, why would a wizard as powerful as Renik allow me to lay eyes on the queen he pledged his life to protect, let alone allow me to keep seeing her for months after."

"I take it you soon found out."

"No doubt about that. Renik came to me and told me that there was a way for me to lose my power besides someone killing me with the dagger or True Love's kiss. Then, after telling me exactly what he thought of my intelligence for spending all my time trying to create a curse instead of learning more about my own magic, he finally got to the point and told me," and Marina saw how tired Rumplestilkin looked, as if remembering that time made him live through it all over again.

"Apparently, Renik studied the magic of the dagger for a long time. He told me that the magic was very old. For centuries, it had passed from one host to the next corrupting each person it invaded and turning them into monsters. By doing so the magic had learned much about greed, murder, lust for power, and many other evils that existed in our world. Now, it was no longer learning anything new, it was simply stagnating, and stagnation meant that in time the magic would grow weaker and eventually die. But there was one thing it could do to preserve itself. It was a risk because the energy required would be tremendous and there was a chance that the magic would destroy itself in the process but it could choose another host, one that was different, and preferably one that was close enough to a different sort of magical power that would keep the host from being corrupted long enough for the magic to learn something new."

"It chose Queen Alicia, didn't it?" Marina barely gasped the words.

"Yes, Renik determined that the energy signatures were pointing to the woman he thought of as his own child. He tried everything he could to stop it but was finally forced to realize that there was nothing he could do. So he came up with one last desperate plan. Put Alicia together with the magic's current host and if the two somehow happened to fall in love with each other, offer the magic to learn about something it could never hope to know anything about."

"True Love."

"Yes," Rumplestilskin nodded and looked down at the floor, "True Love. He offered the woman he thought of as his child to a monster to keep her from becoming a monster."

"He offered her the one chance she had to experience True Love, grandfather."

"That's what she always said too." A sad smile appeared on Rumplestilkin's face. "After that, Renik and I worked together toward the same goal. I needed to keep my power to find Bae and he needed me to keep my power so it would not invade Alicia's body. His gamble worked and Alicia and I were more than happy to be married. The Farini people never argued against anything their wizard and monarch told them and if Renik approved of the marriage then, as far as they were concerned, it was the right thing for the Farini Empire. But there was one thing that Renik still needed to insure and that was the progression of the royal lineage. If he could see his way past a poor spinner's blood besmirching the royal line, he could never allow even the possibility of dark magic to taint it. Of course, Renik had everything planned out. If Danius could not be King of the Farini, his child still could."

"You are not saying that he and Alicia…"

"No, no. He would never let Alicia do anything like that. He used magic to… combine their genes… and hoped a pregnancy would result. I believe in this world the procedure would be known as artificial insemination."

"And Alicia went along with this."

"Sweetheart, Alicia was first and foremost the Queen and protector of her people. She and her dragon fought countless battles against Ogres for other kingdoms to make sure neither Ogre nor another king's army dared to come near Farini borders. She understood that she had to produce an heir to the throne and felt guilty about taking back the offer she made to Danius. The only thing that Renik did not count on and could do nothing to talk her out of was what she decided to do after Jeffrey was born."

"Have him think of you as his father?"

"Yes, and have me raise the child and for the first ten years be an even bigger part of his life than Danius. For the longest time Jeffrey thought of Danius as his trainer in the arts of war. He thought of him as something like an uncle until Alicia started telling him that he was a lucky boy to have two people love him as a father loved a son. When he was fifteen it was getting more and more difficult not to realize whose biological son he was and to give Alicia credit, Jeffrey accepted the situation fairly easily. The rest you know. Alicia and I were married for thirty years. She died a hero's death saving a child from a burning building when Jeffrey was twenty years old. He assumed the throne, refused to stop thinking of me as his father, and made sure his family grew up knowing me as well."

"Renik never stopped him?"

"I am sure he tried to tell him, we both tried to tell him what I've been telling you for years, that Farini royals should not associate themselves with me. However, Renik knew that Alicia would want her family to include me in their lives so he allowed it. He built that invisible room in my prison cell for the same reason. It's what Alicia would have wanted him to do."

Tears streaming down her face, Marina knelt beside's Rumplestilkin's chair and reached up to touch his face, "when you were in that prison cell, Renik said that you wouldn't let me come to see you. He blocked the teleportation spell so I couldn't go there."

"That's right. Of course, I told him to do that. I didn't want you to see me in that cell."

"Did you think that I abandoned you? Did you think that I didn't want to see you?"

"What? Sweetheart, no. I had the squid ink to get out of that cell any time I wanted. Renik built that room to make sure I was comfortable. Between him flittering around like some huge fairy wearing his invisibility spell and all the people coming to see me to ask about the curse, I barely had a moment to properly torment the guards." He caught her to him as she threw her arms about his neck and sobbed on his shoulder. When she finally started to calm down he petted her head like he would a kitten and gently moved so he could hold her face in his hands.

"Now, that's enough sweetie. If you don't stop you are going to make me cry too and I really want to know what you wanted to tell me." Her tear filled eyes grew wide and she quickly dabbed at her face with a Kleenex.

"Oh my goodness, grandfather, of course. I wanted to talk to you about Lee."

"There doesn't seem to be anything to talk about there. Renik has her all tied up and ready to do his bidding as usual. Although I really don't understand how long he expects Maleficent to fight Ogres for him."

"Not long." But Rumplestiltskin did not hear Marina's words.

"Is he thinking about maybe putting that Nottingham idiot in Lee's way to try and make her forget about me?"

"No, grandfather," and now Marina spoke louder, "He is not. Renik has Malenth to do that." Rumplestilskin spun around so fast his cane almost hit his leg.

"Pearlescent and Diagor's son? The dragon died after Diagor took him away."

"Pearlescent died shortly after Alicia but Diagor took their son and hid him. Dragon's are not meant to live without their mates but Diagor lived long enough to teach his son how to survive. After Diagor died, Renik found Malenth, moved him to a safe location, and looked after him ever since. He kept the curse from taking him with the same spell that Cora used to keep a part of the old-world from coming here and he intends to go back and bond Leena and Malenth together. Maleficent will be there only long enough to train him how to fight and carry a rider."

"So there will only be one dragon fighting ogres with Lee. Alicia went to great lengths to convince Diagor to join them because she refused to risk any more soldiers' lives than absolutely necessary. Now, Renik intends to let Lee fight with only one untrained dragon in a world overrun with Ogres, if what Hook says can be believed."

"I am not sure what there is to do, grandfather, but if you can think of something, you better do it fast. I am sure Renik will figure out a way to go back to the old world sooner rather than later." Marina kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hand on her way out the door.


End file.
